Lips Red as Poison Apple
by GreenHoneyTea
Summary: "Magic comes with a price." said Magic Mirror. Since the Evil Queen is banished away from the magic and curse. It targeted the daughter of the Evil Queen. Evie had to pay the price that causes the great catastrophe in her life and chaos in Auradon. It's up to Carlos, Jay, and Mal to save Evie. During the journey, Carlos and Evie have discovered their feelings for each other.
1. Prologue

**Hello! *waves***

**I've become a member in Carlos and Evie Ship. xD**

**I've watched all the movies and have fallen in love, even more, when I read the stories of a sweet boy and a blue-haired princess. Inspired by stories I've read and their writers. I decided to write one myself too!**

**So, here's the prologue before chapter one~ *grin***

**Warning: unbeta, English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first. Yep, I'm Deaf. *peace* ;D **

**I don't own Descendants. None. Nope. Nada. *sulk***

**Enjoy~ :)**

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**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Prologue**

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**Location: Heart Castle**

**Thirty Years Ago…**

_A mid-twenties beautiful woman with black mid-back length hair, dark brown eyes filled with wickedness, fair skin, and wore a purple gown with a black cape. Her named was Queen Grimhilde who recently got married to a King of Heart. The King is at the council meeting while the beautiful Queen took her time, stepped down to the spiral stairs. _

_When she arrived at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the long hallway with a torch in her hand. She glided through flawlessly until she reached to the white door. The Queen reached the golden doorknob, touched it and barely flinched with a needle pricked her hand. Soon, the golden doorknob changed to black and the dark color changed to bright, crimson red as it poured over the white door. The Queen watched and waited for the door to be completely red as blood._

_The beautiful woman smirked excitedly as she reached the doorknob once again, twisted and turned then pushed it wide open. She walked in through the red door, then slowly closed it behind her and straight to the red curtain in the middle of the room. The Queen grabbed the golden tassel, pulled it down as she watched the red curtain lifted upward to reveal a magic object. _

_A large magic body-sized of a floating mirror. The appearance of a mirror has golden veins with thrones surrounding the glass. On top of the mirror, it has a red ruby gemstone that shape of a crown. Inside the mirror is a white smoky. _

_The Queen walked close to the beautiful mirror. "Magic Mirror in the air, who is the fairest one of all?" she whispered, gently._

_The white smoky vanished to reveal her reflection. __**"You, my Queen, is the fairest one of all." **_

"_Wonderful…" she reached her hand to the glass with fond eyes. "Tell me, Magic Mirror, is there a way to remain beautiful forever?"_

_Her reflection faded away then white smoky appeared. __**"There is one, my Queen."**_

"_Tell me." She demanded with a thirst of this new knowledge._

_**"****A magic spell, however, remember this, my Queen… this magic comes with a price."**_

_The Queen smirked widely. "I'm willing to pay for beauty, Magic Mirror."_

With such greedy and dangerous obsessed with magic that Queen Grimhilde was so self-absorbed to the point that she would control her own life, her own world, and people that feared her and her name. She had done many, unspeakable and horrified actions. And because of that, she was known as the Evil Queen, longed forgotten her true name and her true self. However, Snow White and her friends managed to beat the Evil Queen and took her rightful status back.

Evil Queen was cursed until the King Beast and Queen Belle had united all the Kingdoms into the United States of Auradon. All of the villains, sidekicks, and their accomplices are forced after their defeat to live imprisoned on the Isle of the Lost, a forbidden island surrounded by a magical barrier that inhibited magic and escape. On the Isle of the Lost, the Evil Queen cursed form to return to her beautiful appearance, met an interesting man, and had a child.

A daughter named, Evie Queen. Raised her child on her own until when Prince Ben, the teenage son of King Beast and Queen Belle, made official proclamation offered a chance for four selected trouble-making teenage children of villains from the Isle of the Lost to live among them in Auradon and attend Auradon Prep. He chose: Carlos, son of Cruella De Vil; Jay, son of Jafar; Evie, daughter of The Evil Queen; and Mal, daughter of Maleficent.

Of course, in the end, the four children of the villains did almost commit a crime until they wanted to be good, to be who they truly are. Good always win. And it was nice and peaceful for a while, until one tiny, little problem that Evil Queen forgot to warn her daughter.

_Beware of the melody of a velvety whisper from the mirror._

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**Location: Heart Castle**

**Thirty Years Later…**

Seven lean, square towers reach twice the height of the next tallest building in this elegant castle and are connected by reinforced, heavy walls made of black stone. Simple windows are scattered thinly around the walls in seemingly perfect symmetry, along with same-sized holes for archers and artillery. A huge gate with heavy wooden doors, a draw bridge, and hot oil pots guard the only easy way across the river and it's the only way in, at least to those unfamiliar with the castle and its surroundings. Trees grow close to the castle gates and provide it with valuable wood for all sorts of purposes.

Inside of the old, abandoned castle, to the basement where the heavy red curtain hangs. Suddenly the curtain lifted upward to revealed a magic mirror floating with white smoky. When the white smoky twirled around until colors appeared and shown a beautiful blue-haired teenage girl who is busy drawing dresses on her sketchpad while she is laying on her bed, happily. The black onyx gemstone of a crown flickered red ruby a few times until back to onyx color.

_**"Magic comes with a price."**_


	2. Ch I: A Whisper

**Here's chapter one~ *excited***

**I hope you readers enjoy this one. I'm kind of nervous but really excited if that makes sense. Hehehe~**

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *swoon***

**I had to write this chapter one right away... 'cause... why not? :D**

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *peace* xD**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. None. Nope. Nada. *sighed sadly* Oh and... as for the lyrics, the song... totally made that up. Sorry if it's kind of... suck. I'm not that good to make it up. But, gotta have some songs in this story. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Descendants, right? Right? Okay, then.**

**Oh, and the TIMELINE is three months BEFORE Descendants 2. Just so ya know... **

**Enjoy~ *beam***

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

**Three Months Later…**

Sunlight shines through the opened windows as the dark-colored curtains flew slightly by the breeze. The sunlight shines upon a beautiful sixteen-year-old with blue hair, fair skin, and dark brown eyes who is known as Evie Queen. Evie gently brushed her waist-length hair over her shoulder while she carefully drawing the clothes on the sketchbook while she is sitting on the stool. When she hunched over, a part of her blue strands of hair fell over her shoulder as she ignored it.

When she finished her last touch of the clothes design, she leaned back with a big smile on her face. Evie has been designed a bunch of different dresses for Mal's first cotillion as King Ben's girlfriend. She wanted to have Mal look great and beautiful. Evie tilted her head with narrowed eyes. _'Maybe a yellow and blue would be best for the top area… and the bottom could be a different shade of yellow?' _Evie hummed to herself while tapping her pencil against her sketchbook.

_'I'll have to wait and see what Mal thinks about this dress first before I color it.' _Evie decided it, she placed her pencil back in the cupholder and closed her sketchbook.

Just before Evie could leave her stool, a door knocked heard from the door. The blue-haired princess stood up, walked to the door, and answered it. A smile appeared on her face. "Hey, Doug." She steps aside, allowing a nerd boy to walk in with a shy smile.

"Hey." Doug greeted daughter of the Evil Queen. "Are you ready to give your mirror to the museum?"

Evie blinked at Doug then eyes widen. "Oh! That's today? I'm so sorry, I was so busy, and I completely forgot about it." She apologetic and Doug just smiled at her.

"It's fine. You're not late, in fact…" Doug glanced at his wristwatch. "…you have thirty minutes."

The blue-haired princess was a relief to hear that. "That's great. Give a few minutes." She went to her bed, grabbed her blue cropped leather jacket and slipped it on. She gathered her hair to drape over her jacket, then grabbed her red box-purse and opened it. She noticed there's no magic hand-mirror, so she walked to her nightstand. She opened her drawer, went through a few items until she found the magical item.

Evie took out a magic hand-mirror but filched in brief pain and surprised. "Ouch."

"What's wrong?" Doug asked with concerned as he walked up to her shyly.

Her brown eyes stared at her fingers, her magic hand-mirror that left with shards that cut up her right index and middle fingers. Red crimson blood flow from her fingers as Evie hissed softly. Doug noticed it, he immediately grabbed a tissue from the box and handed to the blue-haired princess.

"Thank you." Evie pressed the tissues against her cut while unknowingly her drop of blood hit against the mirror. The mirror quickly absorbed the blood into it and light reflected it and disappeared to ordinary glass.

After a quick bandaged around her fingers, she checked her small magic mirror and relieved to see there's no blood on it. Evie nodded her head to herself as she placed it in her purse. "Alright, let's head to the museum." She said to Doug with a smile.

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**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter One**

**"A Whisper"**

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Museum of Cultural History**

Evie arrived at the museum just in time with Doug by her side. Her brown eyes glanced around at the objects and statues. She has never gotten a chance to explore the place. _'Maybe I should find time for it.' _She mused softly.

"Evie." Her attention went to a woman that she clearly recognized it, Fairy Godmother who smiles at her while waling to her. "Do you have the item?"

Evie nodded her head. "Good, please follow me." She and Doug followed the bubbly woman to the second floor where the villains' items located.

When they arrived at the place, Evie saw four status of four great villains. Maleficent in the middle, Cruella de Vil on the left, Jafar in the back, and her mother, Evil Queen on the right. Evie saw a short white marble pillar closed to Evil Queen statue, with a hook stand and a glass dome.

The blue-haired princess walked to the pillar with Fairy Godmother while Doug stayed behind as he watched quietly. The Fairy Godmother lifted the glass dome and smiles at Evie with patience.

Evie smiles back at the principal, reached to her purse, opened it and took out her small magic mirror. She carefully examined the mirror that her mother gave it to her three months ago. To think that she used to depend on it so much before she decided to become good. And now, she hardly uses it and even forgot it many times during weeks. She gave a last overlook at the magic mirror, slowly and gently placed the magic mirror on the hook stand.

_**"****Evie."**_

A barely soft whispered that creep in her mind that Evie blinked with surprised and confused while stared at the magic mirror. There's nothing change nor anything odd about it, the only thing that changed was that she is staring at the reflection of her face.

"Evie?" she snapped out of it when the Fairy Godmother stared at her with a concerned smile. "Are you alright, dear?"

Evie blinked a few times then nodded her head as she released her hand from the magic mirror. "Yes. I'm fine." She took a step back and watched the Fairy Godmother placed the glass dome back on the platform. Prevent anyone to touch the magic mirror now that is protected.

Brown eyes stared at the magic mirror quietly with thoughtful. The Fairy Godmother steps back with a satisfied and proud nod. "Looks great." She turned to the blue-haired princess. "Thank you handed the magic mirror to the museum. It would be wonderful educational for students to learn and see what this tiny item that held so much magic." She said, professionally.

"Of course." Evie smiles at the woman then noticed another pillar with a glass dome, however, the platform is empty. "Where's the spell book?" she turned to the principal with curious.

Fairy Godmother smiles with hesitated. "Well… Mal isn't ready to give up her book quite yet. So, I decided to give her some extension time." She explained, awkwardly.

The blue-haired princess nodded her head with understanding. "I see. I'm sure Mal will hand over soon, it's just… it belonged to her mother and it was a gift. It might be a little hard for her to give up." She assured the principal while defended her best friend's action.

"Of course." Fairy Godmother smiled at the daughter of the Evil Queen. "Well then, if you excuse me. I have some business that I need to tend to. Have a good day."

Evie nodded her head as she waved at the bubbly woman and watched Doug tipped his head and when the woman is out of her sights. Evie turned her attention back to the magic mirror. _'…sorry, mother. I hardly use it, so what's the point to leave it in my drawer and collect it dust.' _She mused with a fond yet sad smile.

"Ahem." Evie turned her head over her shoulder when Doug cleared his throat on purpose. He smiles at her. "Do you want to have lunch with me?" he asked softly.

They have been going on dates a few times for a while, they have yet made it officially relationship with each other. Since Evie wants to see how these go with Doug as she doesn't want to rush and thankfully, Doug understood it.

Evie tilted her head with thinking face and smiles wide. "I would love to." She walked to Doug, loop her arm with his, and walked side by side to leave the room.

Unaware, that a magic mirror on the hook stand, white smoky appeared in it. Watching the blue-haired princess leaving. _**"Evie." **_

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Courtyard**

A table with benches that are provided shades by the large trees. It's a spot where villains rest and eat during their lunchtime/break time. Evie and Doug are the only ones on the table with a tray filled with half-finished food. They've been chatting for a while about the sciences until Doug glanced at his wristwatch and was surprised that he is almost late for the band practice.

"I'm so sorry. I have to leave." Doug said with guilty eyes.

Evie shook her head. "No, it's fine. Go. See you later." She smiles softly at him.

Doug nodded his head before he hesitated then he pecked Evie's cheek and immediately left with a tray with blushes. Evie blinked owlishly then glanced at the back of Doug walking away from her. She turned back while reached her cheek where he pecked. Small butterflies in her stomach as she felt somewhat flattered but not strongly. _'Love takes time.' _She mused, not everyone gets their True Love first time, like Mal and Ben.

Evie shook her head and picked up her fork, playing with her half-eaten salad with thoughtful. Then suddenly, she heard the shuttered and clicked. The blue-haired princess blinked, turned her head and a smile bloom on her face. Another sound from the camera directed at her face and Evie giggled. "What are you doing, Carlos?"

Behind the camera, Carlos is taking pictures at Evie. He lowered the camera with a smile on his freckled face. "I'm capturing a beautiful scene as my professor required said for an assignment." He explained, calmly as he walked to the table, sat down across from Evie. He reached over to take a couple of grapes from her bowl on the tray. "Why are you sitting all alone on this fine day?" Carlos asked with curious and threw a grape in his mouth and chew.

"Well…" she pushed her tray to give enough room for her elbow landed on the table and pressed her chin against her palm. "…I wasn't alone, I had Doug with me as lunch date, but he had to leave for the band practice."

Carlos swallowed. "I see… and you just stayed?" Evie nodded her head as she watched the white-haired boy threw another grape in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "Are you two officially together?" he is curious while playing with the borrowed camera in hands.

The blue-haired princess bit her lip with slight hesitated. "…sort of? I mean… we are kind of dating, to see how things go. I mean…" she sighed heavily. "I like him. He is very smart, nice, and sweet. But… I don't know if I just like him or truly _like like _him."

Carlos stared at his best friend, then he reached to her hand, held onto and give a warm squeeze. "There's no rush. Take your time. Not everyone has their True Love, a Soulmate. It seemed like every fairy tales have True Love for the first time, but… that's not true. Not all have their True Love, but some people with romance partner… their love takes time and it will be strong as long as they believe in each other." He said, softly.

Evie stared at Carlos with pleasantly surprised then smiles wide. "Wow, I have no idea you are expert with love." She said half-joking and half genuine.

"I _am _smart." The white-haired boy winked at her playfully then grinned wide when Evie giggled. He lifted his camera, pressed the shuttered button to capture another photo of his beautiful best friend. The blue-haired princess noticed it, she grabbed a grape from her bowl and threw it at Carlos.

Carlos quickly dodged the lone grape. "Hey!"

"I'm pretty sure your professor doesn't want a bunch of pictures of me to turn in as an assignment." Evie said with a raised eyebrow.

The white-haired boy huffed. "Then, he doesn't understand how truly _stunning_ scene I'm taking." He said with a cheeky smile and Evie's cheeks turned red as her heart fluttered. It was flattered to hear such compliments.

"Oh, be quiet, you." Evie grabbed another grape and threw it at Carlos who dodged it once again and chuckled. "Why don't you take a picture of status or natures?" she asked as she folded her arms on the table.

The son of Cruella de Vil hummed with contemplative. "I don't know… I've heard about the place where Ben took Mal on their first date, remember that?" Evie nodded her head. "I was thinking about that place… but…"

"You don't want to go alone." Evie finished his thought and Carlos nodded his head. She knew that her best friend doesn't like to go anywhere alone and preferred to have company. "Can't take Dude with you?"

Carlos shook his head. "That's not it. I don't mind Dude coming with me. I just… want someone to come with. But, who would? No one wants to waste their time to accompany me to just for pictures for my assignment."

The blue-haired princess raised her eyebrows. "I'll come." She volunteers easily and Carlos jerked his head at her with surprised.

"Really?"

Evie nodded her head. "Yeah."

"Are you sure? Aren't you busy with designing clothes, though?" Carlos remembered that his best friend did mention that she'll start with her own business to make clothes for people.

"Well, I only have two requested from the girls and Mal. I'm already done with designed, I just need approval from the girls first before I start to get on the materials and such." Evie explained then smiled at the white-haired boy. "I have some free time for a while before I get too busy. So, what do you say? Can I come with?" Evie asked as she leaned forward with playful fluttered eyelashes at him.

Carlos chuckled. "Alright. You can come." Evie cheered a little that Carlos laughed happily. "Thanks." He was grateful to have an amazing best friend.

"Anytime." Evie shrugged her shoulders, happily. "When do you want to go?"

The white-haired boy hummed. "How about tomorrow? We can leave tomorrow morning and return back here around evening." He suggested and Evie agreed with the plan. They both are looking forward to tomorrow with smiles on their faces.

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Silence in the bedroom as the moonlight shines through the windows with closed curtains. Mal sleeping in her bed as she turned around in a comfortable position. While on the other bed where Evie is, sleeping as well.

However, instead of a peaceful face, it's more of a grimaced face while sweat moistest slipped from her forehead. She turned her head back and forth while shifted in her sleep, uncomfortably.

**[Mindscape]**

_Inside of her mindscape, she is in her blue ankle-length with spaghetti straps of a nightgown with red heart designed patterns. Evie scanned her surrounding in the dark with a confused and lost expression on her face. _

_Then, white smoky rolled in that she barely sees her barefoot through the fog. She blew the air and saw a cold mist out of her mouth and shudder from the cold chill. The blue-haired princess wrapped her arms around, rubbed it in attempted to warm up. __**"Evie." **__She shuddered once again, not from the cold but from the goosebumps of the strange whispered of her name._

_Evie carefully observed her surrounding once again with cautioned. __**"Evie." **__Her lips tremble as her heart beating fast and her blood rushing through her veins. __**"The Daughter of the Evil Queen. My Princess, Evie…" **__her eyes widen in shocked when she saw a large of smoky rolled in once more. _

_The white smokes danced in front of her then an arm of smoke reached to her. __**"Come find me… come to me… Evie." **__The smoke moaned ominously that Evie took steps back with feared. __**"My Princess…" **__the smoke steps forward. _

_Evie whimpered with lost, frightened and confused to the point that she turned around and ran off. Away from the strange smokes and the odd yet dreamy whispers. __**"Evie!" **_

**[End of Mindscape]**

Eyes snapped open as she inhaled in surprise. She sat up and glanced around, she is safe in her bedroom with Mal who is sleeping on her bed. Evie's tense muscles relax as her heart beating slowly calms down. "Just a dream… it's just a dream." Evie whispered to herself, assured herself while runs her fingers through her hair.

Her eyes landed on the clock, it's barely four in the morning and she couldn't find herself return to sleep. Not after that odd dream. Evie carefully climbed out of her bed, walked to her bookshelf, grabbed her blue leather dairy from it that attached to a red pen with golden hearts. She climbed back on her bed, took her smartphone from the nightstand and turned on the flashlight.

Evie made sure the flashlight on her smartphone was dimmed enough that won't wake Mal from her sleep but bright enough to write on her diary. The blue-haired princess opened her dairy, tapped her pen and write it down to explain the dream.

After that, she starts writing down about her days, goals, Auradon, and the excitement to hang out with Carlos soon. With a soft smile appeared on her face while unaware that times flies by as the sunrise made its appearance in the sky.

When Evie blinked that the sun has brightened up in the bedroom. She quickly turned off the flashlight from her smartphone and placed it on her nightstand. Evie closed her diary, shove it under her pillows along with her pen and climbed off her bed. She quickly went to her side of the window, opened the curtain and beamed at the nice morning sun. _'Perfect! Carlos' picture would be wonderful once we reach the location.' _She mused with excited for the day.

The blue-haired princess turned around, walked to the wardrobe to grab her outfit for the day. Her brown eyes shifted to the other side where Mal is who groaned and sat up with messy long purple hair. "Good morning, Mal." Evie greeted her best friend cheerful.

Mal glared at Evie then fell back on her pillow. "Why." She grumbled and Evie smiles with amused, knowingly that Mal wanted to know why she is an early morning person.

"It's just how I am." Evie repeated her answered, calmly. "Plus, I'm going to hang out with Carlos today." She said as she started to undress.

The purple-haired girl sat up with her elbowed pushed up. Her eyebrow raised with confused. "Huh, I don't think you haven't hung out with Carlos in a while." Then she wrinkles her nose with a sudden realization. "I don't think _any of us _actually hang out in a while." She pointed it out.

Evie paused her mid-way of getting dress. "Huh. You're right." She mumbled with realized as well. Then she pulled up her jeans.

"Where are you guys going?" Mal asked with curious as she sat up while watching her best friend getting dress.

"The place where Ben took you for the first date." Evie answered as she walked to the floor-length mirror to check her appearance.

The dragon girl hummed. "Then, you might want to wear something else different. Maybe shorts or a dress." She yawned softly while reached to her nightstand to grab her purple hairbrush.

"Why?" Evie asked with curious while turned around to face her best friend.

"The place you guys are going is Enchanted Lake." Mal brushed her hair slowly while a soft smile on her face. "It's very warm over there, water is nice, and it's beautiful…" she whispered the last part as she remembered her first date with Ben.

Evie smiles softly when she saw how her best friend was lovestruck. "I see. Thank you, M. I'll change into something more comfortable…" she turned around, walked to her wardrobe, and went through a few of her outfits until she settled on one.

The blue-haired princess rechanged her outfit then stand in front of her mirror once again. "Good?" she asked Mal through the mirror. Mal tilted her head, overlook at Evie's appearance and nod her head. "Perfect." Evie mumbled as she adjusted her outfit.

She wears dark navy mid-thigh blue dress with thin straps, a large red heart designed on the side, black thigh-socks, red booties with golden chains attached, matching red hearts earrings, red heart with golden crown necklace, red leather fingerless gloves, blue belted bracelet wrapped around her left wrist, a silver ring with red heart wrapped around her left middle finger, and a silver ring with golden crown wrapped around her left thumb, and a black leather jacket.

Evie glanced over at the clock. "I have enough time to pack lunch… I'll see you later, Mal." She blew her kiss at her best friend and left the bedroom.

Mal huffed softly while shaking her head. Then she climbed out of her bed, walked to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She carefully observed her appearance and reached her purple hair. "Should I make this…blonde?" Mal mumbled to herself with thoughtful.

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Outside**

"You asked Ben to borrow his bike?" Evie asked with curious as she stands next to Carlos with a picnic basket in her hands. She observed the scooter-bike, it's yellow and blue except with basket attached on the front.

Carlos wears a black shirt with red leather vest jacket, white leather pants with red dipped dye at the bottom, tucked into his black combat boots, black fingerless gloves, and red leather with spikes bracelet wrapped around his right wrist.

He walked to the bike, placed Dude in the basket and gave a pet. The white-haired boy turned to Evie with a smile. "Yep. I asked him yesterday. He even added this basket for Dude." Carlos explained.

Evie nodded her head as she walked to Carlos and set the picnic basket down on the ground. She gently takes the helmet to placed it on her head. Carlos climbed onto the bike to test it out.

"I didn't know you already knew how to drive this." Evie said after she picked up the picnic basket from the ground and watched her best friend tested the bike as if it's natural for him.

Carlos grinned at Evie. "Ben taught me a while ago. Come on." He jerked his head back at the seat behind him. The blue-haired princess sits on the seat behind the white-haired boy on her side, she held the basket on her lap while her other arm wrapped around his waist.

"Hold on tight. I don't want you to fall and hurt yourself, okay? Carlos warned her with concerned frowned.

Evie smiles. "I got it. Plus, I know you'll make sure I'll be safe." She put her trust in her best friend without a doubt.

"Alright." Carlos started the engine, then ride down the path as Evie tightens her arm around him while leaned forward to press her head against his back. Her brown eyes watched the scenery in front of her with an excited smile on her face.

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**Location: Auradon**

**The Enchanted Lake**

Thankfully, they arrived at the destination safely. Evie jumped off the bike, set the basket down and took off the helmet while Carlos climbed off, took off the helmet and picked up Dude from the basket and set him down. When the helmets are on the seats, Evie made sure the picnic basket isn't ruined during the ride and was satisfied it was safe.

She turned to her best friend. "You know where to go?"

"Yeah, Ben told me." Carlos grinned at her. "Come on." Evie followed the white-haired boy through the forest on the path while Dude followed behind while sniffed the ground with tail wagged.

Soon, they made it to the long bridge which amazed both of them. Carlos took out a camera from his inside pocket from his jacket. He immediately took a few of the scene while Evie stood next to him with a patient smile.

Carlos lowered the camera and turned to Evie with sheepishly smile. "Sorry."

"There's no need to apologize. We're here for your assignment after all." Evie said as she bumped her shoulder against his then walked to the bridge. Carlos watched her, lifted his camera and snapped a couple of shots then followed her with Dude next to him.

Evie was amazed to see a waterfall in the distance and so much woods around her. It's a truly a whole new world than Isle of the Lost. While Carlos did a few more shots from his borrowed camera around him.

Then, at the end of the bridge, Carlos glanced around. "I believe Ben told me about the marks…" he mumbled while scanned then saw a scratched mark on the wood. "There it is… come on." He tilted his head and followed the marked while Evie and Dude followed.

Finally, they arrived at the place which astounded them at the beautiful sight. "….so, this is The Enchanted Lake…" Carlos mumbled with awed.

"It's beautiful." Evie whispered with amazed.

When they reached down to the white stone floor with broken half pillars with the fresh, clear color of jade lake surrounding, and green trees and grasses around. Evie set the picnic basket down while the dog run around the ground with curious and excited and Carlos observed his surroundings.

The blue-haired princess took out a blanket from the basket, spread it on the ground and take out two water bottles and two sodas out. Then, she grabbed containers that contain fruits, sandwiches, and chips. Lastly, she grabbed two bowls and set on the side. Evie filled one bowl with water from the water bottle, then she grabbed a small bag of dog food and filled the bowl. She nods her head with satisfied and double-take at Carlos who has been staring at her with amused.

The blue-haired princess feels slightly embarrassed. "What?"

Carlos chuckled. "It's nothing. Thanks for prepared for Dude's meal." He said with grateful. Evie just shrugged her shoulders.

"It's not fair if we eat and he gets nothing. Seems harsh." Evie mumbled softly and Carlos smiles at her thoughtfulness.

The white-haired boy sighed softly as he glanced around. "I honestly don't know what to take, I need a good picture for this assignment." Carlos sat on the blanket with puzzled confused.

"But you took quite a bit, though." Evie pointed out with curious.

The white-haired boy shook his head. "No, I mean. Yeah, but my professor only wanted me to turn in one photo of a meaningful and beautiful picture. He's a pretty strict guy." He grimaced at the thought of his professor.

Evie hummed as she glanced around and held up her fingers, making L-shapes as if she is holding a camera.

_[You can only focus where the light shines upon~  
Through the view of your camera~  
You must capture that right moment~  
That moment you knew is the perfect picture~!]_

Evie stood up while walked to the edge of the stone floor. Carlos watched quietly when the blue-haired princess twirled around slowly with a smile on her face. Dude sat down next to Carlos with his titled head.

_[There are many ways to capture such beauty~  
Such as fine art, portrait, fashion, sports, nature, and architecture~  
Imperfection perfectly of a significance shot~  
Follow the light~]_

Carlos watched blue-haired princess turned to him as she spread her arms as if she showed him the stunning nature around them. She walked to him, reached out her hand and he grabbed it. Carlos stood up on his feet with Evie's help. While Dude watched back and forth of two humans.

_[It'll guide you well~  
The light never fails you~  
It'll help you to capture~  
Capture that right moment~  
That moment you capture is a perfect picture~!]_

Evie pointed at the sunlight before she gently shoves Carlos toward to the uphill. The white-haired boy decided to indulge her as he climbed up on the hill. He glanced around and saw sunlight shines upon a bush with few blooming flowers. It was a wonderful sight that he lifted his borrowed camera and capture the view.

_[No matter how small the light is~  
It'll always show the beauty within~  
Nothing can hide from the bright sunlight~  
Such beauty must reveal to the world to see~]_

She watched her best friend walked around, taking a few photos from the camera and smiled wide with satisfied. Evie turned around and giggled when she saw Dude danced around with his forelegs. Evie walked to the edge of the stone floor and saw colorful pebbles and stones through the lake.

_[You can only focus where the light shines upon~  
Through the view of your camera~  
You must capture that right moment~  
That moment you knew is the perfect picture~!]_

The blue-haired princess lowered herself on the stone floor, curled her legs and carefully reached to touch the lake with her fingers. She watched the rippled of the calm lake and noticed a few colorful fishes swim around. A warm smile appeared on her face as the sunlight touched upon her body.

_[No matter how small the light is~  
It'll always show the beauty within~  
Nothing can hide from the bright sunlight~  
Such beauty must reveal to the world to see~  
It makes it a perfect picture~]_

She sang softly on her own lastly unaware that Carlos stood on the cliff few feet away with a camera directed at her. He lowered the camera with a blank face. "A perfect picture…" he whispered then climbed down the cliff to return the pillar area where Evie is waiting with lunch prepared.


	3. Ch II: Sleepless Nights

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *dancing***

**So, yeah... I wrote another one. It's fast, I know... but... I really adore Evie and Carlos... and Mal, Jay... and yeah. *grin***

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *peace* xD**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. None. Nope. Nada. *sighed sadly* **

**Oh, and the TIMELINE is three months BEFORE Descendants 2. Just so ya know...**

**Enjoy~ *beam***

* * *

**Location: Auradon**

**The Enchanted Lake**

Evie and Carlos laughed while the plates are empty except crumbs and half-filled of sodas on the side. Dude long finished his lunch meal and is currently laying on the floor, soaking up the warm sun on his fur. The blue-haired princess glanced at the bowls, the food was gone but the water is almost empty. So, she reached for the next water bottle, twisted it open, and pour it in the bowl for Dude. Evie doesn't want Dude to dehydrate so, she makes sure he has some water.

Carlos smiles when he watched her sweet and gentle heart as she made sure his dog is taken care of. His dark brown eyes noticed the bandaged around her right fingers. He leaned forward, gently grabbed her hand as Evie was startled and turned to him with confused. "What is it?" she asked, with a soft frown.

Evie saw his eyes on her hand which her eyes dart down and noticed that her best friend is staring at her wound. "Oh…" she set down the water bottle and turned her body to face him properly with a smile. She touches Carlos' hand with her left hand on top where his hand is holding her right hand. "I'm fine. It's only a cut. It'll heal."

"Be careful though, you need your hands to draw and make designs." Carlos said with a concerned smile as he squeezes her hands gentle while he placed his other hand on top of her hand. Evie squeezes back gently with a fond smile.

The blue-haired princess giggled. "Of course. Thanks for the concerns." Then her eyes glanced at the empty plates. "Is the food satisfied with you?" she asked, slightly shy.

Carlos nodded his head. "It was good, thank you." Evie nodded her head with a relieved smile as she gently released her hands from his and picked up the plates and placed in the picnic basket.

The white-haired boy glanced up at the still blue sky and the sun shines brightly on the land. He took out his red smartphones to glanced at the time, it's the only afternoon and he glanced at the lake with thoughtful.

Slowly, an idea popped in his head. A grinned broke out on his face with mischievous sparks in his eyes. Carlos turned his attention on Evie. "Want to cool our feet?" he tilted his head at the lake, innocently.

Evie paused as she turned her head at him. Her eyes glanced at the lake then back at him with a smile. "Sure." She accepted his offer without knowingly the sneaky plan behind Carlos' action. Carlos took off his combat boots, socks tucked in his boots and rolled up his pants to his knee.

Meanwhile, the blue-haired princess took off her booties, pulled her thigh-socks off and tucked inside. She set her shoes next to Carlos' shoes and stood up. Evie walked to the edge of the stone floor with Carlos waiting. They both sat down, lay their feet into the cool water of a lake, and it was very soothing.

Evie watched the little colorful fishes darted away from her barefoot as the ripples surrounding her shins. Her eyes examined the beautiful pebbles and stones that shine brilliantly by the sun and shade. While she was busy admiring the view, Carlos carefully sneak glanced at her with a small smirk on his face.

Suddenly, a splash heard and squealed of yelped break the peaceful silence. Dude perked his ears up as he sat up from his nap and saw his owner laughing at the half-soaked blue-haired princess.

Carlos has splashed water at Evie with his hand when he leaned down to the lake and is now currently laughing at the stunned face of a blue-haired princess. Evie blinked a few times, turned her attention at Carlos with shocked as water droplets slide down half of her clothes and few on her face.

He still laughing and soon, a quirk of a villain from Isle appeared in her heart and a playful glint in her eyes. Evie leaned close to the oblivious laughing boy, then shove him toward the body of water.

"Whoa!" Carlos attempted to balance himself however, he fell into it and stood up with lake hit around his hips. The white-haired boy wipes the water from his face and jerked his head at Evie with disbelieved. Evie who, quietly, just smiles innocently at him. "Seriously?"

The blue-haired princess just shrugged her shoulders with triumphed eyes. Carlos huffed with a laugh then smirked. "Oh, it's on." Evie's eyes widened when she noticed her best friend is coming close to her as he reached for her.

Evie quickly scoots back but Carlos caught her ankles, pulled her toward him. "Carlos! Don't you dare!" she warned him with a weak glared.

"Then don't participate in the battle if you don't want to finish." Carlos said with cheeky grinned.

The daughter of the Evil Queen struggled, using her strength to get away from her best friend and tried not to be the victim in the water. However, Carlos is stronger than her that he managed to drag her into the lake with him.

Evie yelped in surprised when half of her body is soaked in the lake with few splashes. Her eyes stared at Carlos' with stunned.

"What?" Carlos raised his eyebrow at her, shamelessly that he pulled his beautiful best friend into the water and ruined her outfit.

Evie just shook her head with an attempt to control her smile. "Can't finish the battle, you say?" she splashed the water at him and Carlos steps back.

"Let's see who win this battle, the daughter of the Evil Queen or the son of Cruella de Vil." The white-haired boy announced dramatically.

The daughter of the Evil Queen snorted softly then took off her jacket and threw on the stone floor. Carlos shreds his jacket as well, threw it to joined Evie's jacket. He runs his fingers through his wet hair back to reveal his freckled face and his cheeky grinned.

And thus, the battle of splashes begins between two best friends while Dude is watching them and lowered his chin down to return his nap.

**.**

**..**

**…**

** Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Two**

**"Sleepless Nights"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**Later…**

Evie and Carlos lay on their back, side by side, drying themselves by the sun while Dude lay his chin on Carlos' stomach. The soft breeze came through the air, gently picking up strands of Evie's hair playfully before dropped on her. The white-haired boy inhaled deeply then exhaled through his nose. "I can't believe you won the battle." He clicked his tongue with disappointed, playfully.

The blue-haired princess smiles as her eyes are closed. "Don't mess with a daughter of the Evil Queen, son of Cruella de Vil." She jokingly said and Carlos chuckled.

"I'll win next time. Just you wait, Eve." Carlos declared with promised as he folded his arms behind his head while his eyes are closed as well.

Evie turned her head at Carlos as she fluttered her eyes open with pleasantly surprised to hear that old nickname. She couldn't remember when it was the last time, he actually called her that, it's been _years_. He called her that when they were eleven and twelve. _'I almost forgot about that nickname… he used to call me that all the time, but he stopped around two years ago. I never actually know why…' _she tempted to ask him about it, but she was afraid that he'll regret it and never said his nickname for her again.

Rather, she preferred he called her that since she personally likes it, especially hear it from her best friend. And since he called her that nickname, she decided to use her old nickname to him as well. Evie turned her head, facing the sun as her eyes closed. "Whatever you say, Los."

Carlos snapped his head to Evie with surprised when he heard his old nickname from his best friend. When was the last time she called him that? He wanted to ask her why she stopped but he doesn't want her to realize, regret it, and stop using his nickname. In fact, he was hoping to hear it from her lips more in the future. So, he wisely shut his mouth and turned back to face the sun.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Dorm Hallway**

Late evenings arrived as Carlos and Evie has returned from The Enchanted Lake with semi-soaked clothes but mostly dry. The white-haired boy is carrying Dude in his arms, accompanied with Evie down the hallway to her door.

Evie paused as she made it to her door. She turned around with a warm smile while holding the basket in her hands.

"Thank you for accompanying me today." Carlos said with gratitude.

"It was my pleasure, Mister De Vil." Evie tipped her head politely.

Carlos chuckled. "Mister De Vil?" he never heard of that before. The blue-haired princess just shrugged her shoulders with a shy smile. "I enjoyed hanging with you, you know." He meant it. It has been a while to hang out with his best friend.

"Me too." Evie said softly. "We should hang out again soon, all four of us. It's been… two months?" she attempted to think when exactly was the last time all four of them actually hang out.

The white-haired boy nodded his head. "Two months… to think living here Auradon would keep us so busy."

"Yeah… but it's nice. Peace and safe." Evie smiles and Carlos agreed with her. Then she cleared her throat. "I better head in now, take a shower before I get sick." She steps back to her door.

"Right, right. Umm, see you later?" Evie nodded her head and Carlos smiles at her. Before he could leave, he felt a gentle tapped on his shoulder and turned around.

Evie leaned toward to him and peck on his cheek. "Goodnight, Los." She whispered gently then give love pets to Dude. She walked back to her door, unlocked with her key, glide inside and shut the door quietly.

Carlos stared at the door in silence then a smile breaks out on his freckled face. "Goodnight, Eve." He walked down the hall to his dorm room.

Inside of the shared bedroom, Evie sighed happily that she truly enjoyed her day with her best friend. She walked to her desk, set the basket on top of it, and took off her purse and her jacket. She picked up her purse to take out her blue smartphone and saw a couple of missed call from Doug and three texts from him as well. _'I didn't even hear it though…' _Evie frowned with confused and realized that she turned her smartphone on silent. "Should I?" she thought about calling Doug but the time on the clock is too late.

Evie decided to call him tomorrow instead. So, she set her phone on her bed and walked to her wardrobe to grab her pajamas and towels. Before she heads to the bathroom, the door was opened and shut which alerted her that her best friend return. "Oh, hey Ma-" the blue-haired princess paused in shocked to see Mal.

Front of her, instead of purple-haired girl, it's a blonde with light purple tips haired girl. "Mal… your hair…" Evie walked to her with astonished.

Mal reached her new hair color. "I know… I thought a change of appearance would be nice. Ben likes it." She chuckled weakly as she plays with it.

"It's lovely." Evie blurted it out before she shook her head with astounded yet surprised. "Very different… very… Auradon-like." She tilted her head, observed the new appearance of Mal. "D-does this means… you are going for Auradon-like appearance from now on?" she asked with curiosity.

Mal nodded her head. "Yeah. Next, I will have different new styles… new clothes." She smiles weakly at her best friend.

Evie frowned at Mal. "Are you sure? That's a big step, Mal. You are turning your back on as Isle girl."

"I have to." Mal blurted it out as she rubbed her palms over her Isle outfit. "I want to. For Ben, for Auradon, and for me." She assured Evie, and to herself.

The blue-haired princess doubted it but decided to keep it quiet since this was Mal's choice. "If you truly sure about it." Mal nodded her head. "Okay then… I guess that means you'll be fine with blue and yellow colors of your new dress for the cotillion?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Perfectly fine." Mal nodded her head and walked to her side of the room to grab her change of clothes from the dresser. "Umm…" she realized something then turned around at Evie. "You don't mind making a few Auradon clothes for me? Ben asked me to be his date for the meetings."

Evie raised her eyebrows. "Meetings?"

"I'm going to meet King Aladdin and Queen Jasmine." Mal swallowed nervously with a weak smile. And Evie mouthed 'wow' at this big news. "I know, right? The meetings start in a few days and I want to look nice. Plus, there's going to be cameras and interviews." She explained while clenched onto her pajamas in her hands.

The blue-haired princess just shook her head with amazed then smiles at her best friend. "Of course, I can do it. First, I'll make a new outfit for your meetings and then a couple new more just in case." She turned around, walked to her area and checked her materials and fabrics. "…I can make at least four new Auradon-like clothes for you in two to three days." She said with confidence.

The blonde-haired girl sighed in relief. "Thank you, E."

Evie smiles at her. "Anytime for you, M." she winked playfully at her best friend who smiles in return.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Jay and Carlos Dorm Room**

**Meanwhile**

Carlos is fresh clean from the shower and wears in his warm pajamas while Dude is resting on his bed. The white-haired boy is sitting on the chair while looking through the pictures on the borrowed camera. He is trying to find a picture to print it out for the assignment. In the mini screen, he realized there he had taken his pictures quite a bit of a blue-haired princess. "Even without edit, she is beautiful." Carlos mused out loud while pressed the small button that switched each photo. Until he paused at the picture he took earlier today.

In the photo, where Evie sat on the stone floor with pillars not too far from her, her fingertips barely touch the lake while she was smiling with awed eyes. Sunlight shines upon her body, making her blue hair glow like hellfire and her fair skin brighten somehow. She was beautiful in this photo and he personally likes it. "A perfect picture." Carlos hummed softly with contemplative. He leaned back against his chair while his leg props up with his feet against the edge and his other feet touch the ground.

He rested his forearm against his knee while observed the photo then he pressed the button to see more of the pictures. He halted on the next picture that he secretly took it as he had thought she looked amazing.

In the photo, where Evie is sitting on the edge of the stone floor, with her feet in the water, completely soaked head to toes, with her hair pushed over her shoulder and a soft smile on her face. Her fingers were tangled in her long blue hair, her eyes were closed, and the sunlight shines upon her. Making her skin glows with shining water dews as she can be mistaken as a magical being.

Carlos lowered his borrowed camera with dazed eyes as he is thinking deeply. He didn't notice his best friend, Jay walked in with gym bag in his hand and shut the door behind him. "Sup." Jay greeted the white-haired boy as he walked to his bed, set his bag on the chest and paused. He turned around, stared at Carlos who is in his own world.

"Yo, Carlos." Jay called out but none respond so he grabbed his pillow and threw at his best friend. A grinned break out on his face when the pillow hit Carlos' head.

The white-haired boy snapped out of it and jerked his head at Jay with a blinked. "Oh, hey." He greeted, calmly as he picked up the pillow.

Jay raised his eyebrows. "Wow… so enthusiastic greeting." He sarcastically said.

Carlos rolled his eyes and there the pillow at Jay who caught it flawlessly with a smug smirked. "Shut up, Jay."

A son of Jafar noticed the camera in Carlos' hands. "Got what you need?" he tilted his chin at it.

"Yeah." Carlos glanced at the photo in the camera and turned it off. "I found a perfect picture for the assignment." he said with a mysterious smile.

The former thief nodded his head as he fell back on his bed and folded his hands behind his head. "So, three months until the cotillion, are you going to ask your crush?" he asked with curiosity.

Carlos paused mid-way of climbing on his bed. He turned his head at Jay with surprised. "I'm sorry, what?" he sat on his bed.

Jay sat up with a knowingly smirks. "A certain girl. A daughter of the Fairy Godmother. A girl who is in charge of taking care of the cotillion." He wiggles his eyebrows.

The white-haired boy blinked. He actually completely forgot about her and cotillion. His mind was filled with Evie last night and all day today. "Oh."

"Are you alright, man?" Jay furrowed his eyebrows with concerned at the lack of reaction from his best friend.

Carlos just nodded his head. "Yeah… I'm just… It's been a long day. Night, Jay." He half-smiled weakly then lay down on his bed.

Jay frowned at his best friend, then shrugged his shoulders and lay back on his bed. _'Oh well. Probably just too tired.' _

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Mal is sleeping peacefully on her bed while Evie on her bed, is tossing and turning while grimaced clearly shown on her face.

**[Mindscape]**

_Inside of her mindscape, she is in her two sets of matching pajamas of blue shirt and shots. Evie darted her eyes her surrounding with dreadful feeling inside of her. It's another familiar room once again, the black room with white smokes dances around her legs. She steps backs while keeping her eyes open with cautioned. _

_**"****Evie…"**_

_The blue-haired princess gulped nervously as she can hear the whisper behind her. Carefully, she turned around slowly and saw a large white smoky shape of a figure, its arm reaches toward to her. Evie choked up with fear as she steps back. __**"My Princess… come… come to me." **_

_Evie shook her head, turned around and ran off once again from the strange smokes. __**"EVIE!" **_

**[End of Mindscape]**

Evie sat up as her eyes opened while panted as if she has been running for miles. Her brown eyes glanced at her surrounding in her familiar and safe bedroom. The blue-haired princess slumped her shoulders with relief as she pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped around it. This is the second night that she dreamt of that strange smoke and its voice.

After a few heartbeats, she glanced at the clock that it's barely four in the morning. Evie couldn't go back to sleep, so she reached her diary book from the pillow and a pen. She also took her smartphone to light up with a flashlight and write down her dream and her day with Carlos.

It only took her an hour to finished written down on her dairy. She set her dairy book aside, climbed off her bed and walked to her desk to picked up her sketchbook and pencil from the cupholder. _'Might as well start a new design for Mal.' _She mused, return to her bed and opened her sketchbook with a fresh page. _'Let's see… since Mal will be with Ben and they are meeting King Aladdin and Queen Jasmine… so, I can mix the Auradon style and Arabian style. Showed that she is part of Auradon that appreciates the Arabian culture.' _She mused with an idea and a spark of creative thought of the outfit that she immediately attacked her sketchbook.

Before she knew, the sunrise greeted the sky and brighten up in the bedroom. Evie blinked and raise her head. She grabbed her smartphone to turned off the flashlight and saw the time. It's already six in the morning. Her brown eyes shifted to her sketchbook, she has drawn two different outfits for Mal. Evie was relief that today is a free day from classes, except there are classes tomorrow.

Evie climbed out of her bed, walked to her desk and set her sketchbook down and walked to the materials and fabrics. _'Pale pink with blue and marigold color. It would be a good color for the meetings.' _She mused as she grabbed three different colors and took one fabric and stood in front of the mannequin figure. She made sure the size of the waist, chest, hips and the rest in an appropriate size for Mal. The blue-haired princess starts working on designing the clothes with determined.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Photograph Lab**

Carlos was in the black room with red dimmed lights as he stood in front of the table with two special bins of chemical liquids. There are two photos inside of the liquids while he is waiting. His brown eyes lifted up at the string of pins that attached to his pictures that hangs for dry. There are three pictures of Evie.

The first photo is when Evie is sitting on a bench, underneath the shade of a large tree. She was focused on her half-eaten salads on the plate with her fork. The half of her face was calm with softening eye.

Next photo is when the blue-haired princess was smiling with her arms folded on top of the table. Eyes are on her food, unaware the camera was facing at her.

And lastly, the photo is her back walked to the bridge with the forest surrounding her as the sunlight shines upon her.

The white-haired boy glanced down and saw the fourth photo is done, he picked it up with tongs and clipped it on the string. It was when Evie sat on the stone floor while watching the lake. Then after a minute or so, the fifth photo was finished. He gently picked it up with tongs and clipped it on the string which is his personal favorite. It's when the blue-haired princess was soaked from head-to-toe but somehow, still beautiful.

His heart beats fast as he carefully observed the last photo. He honestly doesn't know why he is doing this. Why his heart beats so fast whenever he glanced at the photos of Evie. And why he still remembered that one kiss left on his cheek from a blue-haired princess last night. His mind just focuses on Evie which he finds it odd.

Carlos shook his head and grabbed each of his picture from the clips and pushed it inside his jacket. He walked out of the room and blinked a few times to adjust the bright outside. He narrowed his eyes as he looked around and walked down the hallway.

He halted when he saw Jane walking down while chatting on her smartphone while holding her tablet. "…the colors of the cotillion should be blue and yellow, it needs to be the right shade of the color that matched." Jane glanced up at Carlos and smiles. "Hey, Carlos." She greeted him with a friendly smile.

"Hey, Jane." Carlos greeted her with a friendly smile, but his heart wasn't excited which he finds it strange. He's actually calm around her now.

Jane tilted her head when she turned her attention on her phone. "No, that doesn't sound right." She smiles sheepishly at him. "Sorry, I got to go." She tipped her head and quickly leave.

Carlos watched his crush – well, _former_ (maybe?) crush walked away. _'…I don't understand my heart.' _He mused with confused. First, he has crushed on Jane for two months and now, it's suddenly vanished. "I guess it's just a puppy love then." He mumbled and walked down the hall.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Courtyard**

Evie stifled her yawn once again while walking to the spot with a tray in her hands. She hardly got her eight hours of sleep, this is a second time that she was forced to lose her sleeping hours. _'I really need to sleep early tonight to catch up.' _She mused, tired. Plus, she has classes tomorrow.

When she arrived at the lunch table, she noticed that it is empty, but she knew her friends will join in soon. Evie sat down, placed her tray on the table, and sighed tiredly. She picked up her fork and stabbed into the watermelon slices and put it in her mouth. She enjoyed the freshness and cold taste that left on her tongue.

Then she covered her mouth when another yawned appeared from her. "Tired?" she blinked when a familiar voiced out. She turned her head and saw Doug joined on the table with a tray. She watched him sits on the table, next to her.

"Umm… yeah. But I'm fine." Evie said with a smile, then she remembered. "Oh, I'm sorry for not return your calls and texts. I was busy all day yesterday and my phone was on silent." She explained her action.

Doug looked relief. "That's nice to know. I thought you're upset with me."

"What? No, no. I'm not upset with you at all." Evie gently touches his shoulder with an assured smile. "I promise."

The son of Dopey smiled wide and picked up his sandwich. "So, do you want to come and watch my band?" he asked, hopefully.

Evie frowned with thinking. "I don't know if I could make it. I have a few things to do for my clients. And Mal too. Plus, there are classes tomorrow." She explained with guilty.

"I see. That's fine." Doug understands and Evie smiles with relief.

Then she noticed two of her best friends walked toward her direction and beamed at them. "Hey, Jay! Carlos!" she waved at them happily.

When they arrived, sat on the bench across from the blue-haired princess and the nerd. "Sup, Evie." Jay greeted and smirked at Doug. "Nerd." Doug just smiles back.

"Hey." Carlos said with a friendly smile then narrowed his eyes at Evie. "…you looked exhausted." He stated with concerned. Jay heard that as he glanced at Evie and hummed with agreed with the white-haired boy.

The blue-haired princess slumped her shoulders. She has tried to hide her dark circles and her tried look but, her best friends always knew her since they were young. Nothing can past them. "I'm fine. I promise, I just got up a little bit earlier than before and couldn't return back to sleep."

"Then, you'll go to sleep early tonight, right?" Carlos asked with raised eyebrows and Evie nodded her head. "Good." He nods his head with satisfied.

Jay picked up his sandwich and took a bite of it. "By the way, the competition of tourney is upcoming this weekend." He said before he swallowed his food. Then he pointed at Evie with a look. "You're coming, right?"

Evie shook her head. "I'm sorry, Jay. I have things to do."

Before Jay protected, Carlos speaks up as he leaned forward to grab a melon from her fruit bowl. "Come on, Eve. It's only for two hours at the most. Plus, think of as taking a break." He begged his beautiful best friend. He wanted her to come and watch the game, watch him playing on the field along with Jay and others.

The blue-haired princess watched her best friend ate a melon while waiting patiently for her answer. She narrowed her eyes at him then at Jay and back to the white-haired boy who raised his eyebrows at her. Then Evie rolled her eyes playfully. "As long as you stop stealing my fruits." She picked up her grape and threw it at Carlos who caught in his mouth.

"Nice catch!" Jay chuckled as he gave a fist bump to Carlos.

Evie shook her head with a fond smile while watching her best friends playfully shove each other. She didn't notice the deep frown on Doug's face nor how quiet he is at their table.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Moonlight shines through the bedroom, slowly drifted to a blue-haired princess who immediately sat up with nervous, cold sweats. Her chest moved up and down as she reached as her hand is shaking to grab her smartphone and checked the time. It's barely three in the morning.

_'_…_this is the third night! What's is happening!?' _Evie mused with fear.


	4. Ch III: Thief is Back

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *jumpy***

**Here's another chapter~**

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *peace* :)**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. None. Nope. Nada. *sighed sadly* Oh and... as for the lyrics, the song... totally made that up. Sorry, it probably sucks. I'm not that good to make it up. Oh well~ *shrugged shoulders* I tried. **

**TIMELINE is three months BEFORE Descendants 2. Just so ya know...**

**Enjoy~ *grin***

* * *

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Moonlight shines through the bedroom, slowly drifted to a blue-haired princess who is silently whimpered in her sleep. Turned left and right as sweats drip from her forehead.

**[Mindscape]**

_"**EVIE!" **__she continued running through in a dark room of the white fog surrounded her. She whimpered with frightened when she can hear the voice coming close behind her. _

_The blue-haired princess turned her left and continued running. She is tired, so exhausted. Her heart is beating fast, her lungs are begging to breathe in the sweet oxygen, her legs are on fire, and her blood is rushing through her veins. __**"My Princess… stop running… come to me…" **_

_She shut her eyes as she tried to block the voice. However, she tripped, and the white fog dramatically flew away from her. Evie gritted her teeth as she pushed herself up with her palms against the ground. Her brown eyes blinked and gasped when she saw a reflection of herself. This whole time, she thought the ground was just ground. But instead, it was made of mirror. __**"…come to me…Evie…" **_

_Tears appeared in her eyes. "What do you want from me!?" she weakly punched the mirror floor as she glanced around, watching the white smoky twirling around her. __**"…my Princess…come to me…" **__it kept repeating the same words over and over. Evie doesn't understand why this is happening to her then she glanced down and stared in horror –!_

**[End of Mindscape]**

Evie immediately sat up with nervous, cold sweats. Her chest moved up and down while she reached as her hand is shaking to grab her smartphone and checked the time. It's barely three in the morning.

_'_…_this is the third night! What is happening?!' _she mused with fear as she dropped her smartphone on her bed, hugged herself in an attempt to comfort. She tried to forget her nightmare, forget the odd melody and smooth whisper from the white smokes, forget the ground that was made of mirror, and lastly, forget that her eyes were scarlet.

**.**

**..**

**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Three**

**"Thief is Back"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Remedial Goodness 101**

The rows of seats are completely empty except two tables in the middle row. On the left is where Evie and Mal seated and, on the right, is where Carlos and Jay seated. Across from, a small stage with large blackboard filled with chalks questions. Headmistress Fairy Godmother smiles at the students as she pointed at the board with a pointer stick.

"Okay, next question, when you saw a child alone and crying. What would you do?" Fairy Godmother pointed at the letter 'A'. "You ignore the child." Pointed at the letter 'B'. "You beat up the child." Pointed at the letter 'C'. "You offer to aid your help the child." Pointed at the last letter 'D'. "Or you curse the child to endless sleep." She glanced at her students who all raised their hands except Evie who is staring blankly at her book.

Fairy Godmother smiles. "Evie." She called out the blue-haired princess. However, she didn't respond to the Headmistress. "Evie." Fairy Godmother called out once again, but none respond.

Mal frowned at her best friend while Carlos and Jay leaned over with curious and confused. "E." Mal gently shook Evie's shoulder.

"Huh?" Evie snapped out of it and turned to Mal. "Yes?" the blonde-haired girl tilted her head at the Fairy Godmother. Evie turned her attention to the Headmistress. "I'm sorry. What was the question?" she realized that the woman probably asked her a question, but she didn't hear anything.

Fairy Godmother pointed at the question with her pointer stick. "Which is the correct answer?" she asked, softly and patience.

Evie quickly read the question and answers. "C, offer your aid to help a child." She answered and Fairy Godmother nodded her head.

"That is correct." Evie smiles weakly. "Please pay attention from now on, okay?" the blue-haired princess' cheeks blushed with embarrassed as she nodded her head with understanding. "Good… now, next question."

The blue-haired princess tried to focus on the lesson despite that she hadn't got any proper sleep for the past three nights. While Mal who sits next to her was concerned but didn't mention anything and return to the Fairy Godmother's lecture.

Carlos narrowed his eyes at his blue-haired best friend who is attempted to stay awake. _'I thought she was going to sleep earlier?' _he mused with worried. Wondering if there's something wrong with Evie.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Hallway**

Evie walked down the hallway and arrived at her locker. She unlocked the combination of a lock, opened the door and shove a textbook in. She released a heavy sighed as her eyes met the small red ordinary mirror that is attached on the back. Evie could see her reflection perfectly from the small mirror. Then a flashback came in her mind.

_[Evie gritted her teeth as she pushed herself up with her palms against the ground. Her brown eyes blinked and gasped when she saw a reflection of herself. This whole time, she thought the ground was just ground. But instead, it was made of mirror.]_

The blue-haired princess blinked as another flashback.

_[She gave a last overlook at the magic mirror, slowly and gently placed the magic mirror on the hook stand._ _**"Evie."**__]_

Evie slowly put those two pieces of puzzles together in her mind. _'Could it be… does this connect to that magic mirror?' _she pondered with furrowed eyebrows. Then she heard the alerting bell that reminded students to head to the next class. She only has science next but, she has a feeling that she won't be able to focus on the lecture. She barely concentrates in her last class. The blue-haired princess glanced around, watched the students leaving to their class until the hall is empty.

'_Maybe… maybe I should go to visit the museum. To see that mirror.' _Evie decided, shifted her brown eyes at the small mirror in her locker then firm her lips as she was determined. She shut her locker door and locked it. The blue-haired princess checked her surrounding in cautioned and ditch her class without any hesitant.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Museum of Cultural History**

When Evie arrived inside the museum, she saw a security guard watching the monitors carefully. The blue-haired princess walked into the different area of the room. She ignored the items, statues, and magical objects. She continued walking until she saw the sign on the wall that said of villains. Evie hiked upstairs until she reached the floor, down the hallway until she arrived at the villains of statues.

She paused in front of the room. This is the third time she saw the greatest villains of statues. Her brown eyes stayed on her mother and slowly walked toward it. "Mommy…" the daughter of the Evil Queen knew her mother won't be very happy with her and is upset. She wouldn't be surprised if her mother decided to lock her up in her bedroom for punishment or forced her to clean, cook, and sew until her mother was satisfied which is never.

Evie sighed softly then shifted her brown eyes to the magic mirror inside the glass dome. She went closer to it, carefully examined the magical object with contemplative. The magic mirror looked the same as always and Evie frowned deeply. _'Was I wrong?' _she leaned back with curious and confused.

Before the blue-haired princess could think of leaving. The white smokes appeared in the magic mirror. _**"Evie." **_She gasped as her eyes darted on the magic mirror in shock. _**"My Princess…" **_

Evie was stunned as she stared at the magic mirror. Never, ever has she hear any voice from the magical mirror. It showed her answers but never voice out. "Wh-what… how…" she whispered with disbelief as she shook her head and turned her head to her mother statue. "…you never told me that it has a voice." She whispered with puzzled.

"_**Take me. Take me with you, my Princess." **_Evie turned her attention back to the magic mirror as she watched the white smoke swirled around. _**"Please…" **_her heart softens at this as she can hear the pleaded in the voice. She bit her lip, reluctant, as she observed pillar and noticed the security alarms attached to it and the light blue lasers around inside the glass dome. _'I can't take this, plus the camera is watching this.' _She mused, while glanced at the camera from the corner of her eyes. _'Also, I can't just take this. People will know about the missing magic mirror. I'll have to find a way to replace it.' _

Evie glanced back at the magic mirror with thinking deeply until she remembered. "Wait… I can…" she slowly smiles with pleased. _'I can use Carlos' 3D printer that he recently made a while ago.' _Her brown eyes spark with mischievous. "I'll be back." She whispered to the magic mirror and watched the white smokes fades away.

The daughter of the Evil Queen took steps back and glanced one last time at a statue of her mother. Then she turned around and left the room. _'If I hurry to Carlos' dorm room, I can print the magic mirror without him or Jay in the room. Since they both are still in class, plus they have tourney practice after, so that should give me enough time.' _She mused as she is plotting the action.

When she is at the main area, she smiles at the security guard with a greeted and left the building. _'Also, I need to find a way to make that guard out of the way. Mal's spell book would help but I doubt that would work for me. So, I need to find a way…unless…' _Evie remembered her lessons from her mother from a few years ago. _'…to think my mom's lessons would be handy.' _

First thing first, making a replica of a magic mirror then the kitchen.

.

* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Jay and Carlos Dorm Room**

Evie stroll down the hallway without any suspicious. She carefully scanned the surrounding of the empty hallway. When she reached to the dorm room, she reached her hair to grab her bobby pin and leaned down to the doorknob.

The daughter of the Evil Queen gave a few wiggled and twisted until she heard the clicked. A victory smiled appeared on her face. "Still got it." She whispered with proud that her skill was not rusty one bit. Evie stood up, placed her bobby pin back in her hair and gave a last glanced at the empty hall and walked inside.

Evie quietly shut the door behind her, locked it, and is a relief to see the empty room. Except that she didn't expect to see Dude sitting on Carlos' bed. "Dude…" she smiles awkwardly at the dog who whines softly.

She watched Dude jumped off the bed, pitter, and patter on the ground toward her and gently paws her leg. Evie bends down to gave Dude's her love pets. "You're such a sweet dog, such a good boy, yes you are, yes you are." She whispered with the soft tone while giving Dude's belly rubbed.

After a few minutes of love for the small dog. Evie stood up, walked to the desk where Carlos' laptop is. She reached down, randomly type the keyboard and the screen lit up. Evie moved the mouse to click the program that connected the 3D printer and opened the graph. She studied the graph and clicked on the creative mode. "It seems that I have to draw it on the graph before I could print it… good thing I have artistic skill. Shouldn't be hard to do it on the laptop." She mumbled as she sits down on a chair and starts drawing the outline first of the mirror shape.

It has taken her nearly an hour to finally draw a perfect magic mirror on the graph. Evie leaned back against the chair with relief. "Okay, that wasn't easy than I thought." Evie grumbled slightly but she was proud that the drawn magic mirror is done. She quickly types the keyboard and pressed the key button. The sounds coming from the 3D printer start working immediately. The blue-haired princess stood up from the chair, walked to the table and watched the 3D printer works its own magic, making an exact copy of the magic mirror.

Her brown eyes glanced at the small screen that showed it'll take twenty minutes to complete the object. She waved her hands with nervous while glanced at the clock, the school is almost ending and she doesn't want to stay any longer.

Suddenly, Dude barked that got Evie's attention. She noticed that Dude is back on Carlos' bed and the dog pawed at her. A smile appeared on her face, she walked to him and gave him another love. "Los did raise you well, very sweet and loving. Just like him." She whispered with fond eyes. Then she bends down to face the dog. "Promise that you keep this a secret, for me? This is just between us, okay?" Dude poked his wet snout at her cheek.

"Thank you." Evie giggled and pecked the dog's head lovely. Then she heard an alerting sound from the 3D printer that it's finished. She stood up, walked to it and a big smile break her face. She gently grabbed a replica of a magic mirror in her hand. "It's perfect." She whispered with content.

Evie quickly walked back to the laptop, erased the graph and its history then put it back to sleep mode. She blew a kiss to Dude as she reached the door. "See you later, Dude." Left the bedroom.

When Evie is out in the hallway, she double checks her surrounding and quickly walked fast to her dorm room. She unlocked her door, walked inside toward the bookshelf, grabbed a book from it and take out an old folded paper from it and shoves it in her pocket. "Now… to the kitchen." She placed her book back on the shelf and left her bedroom.

.

* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Kitchen**

The daughter of the Evil Queen is relief that the kitchen is empty. So, she walked to the shelf to grab a few ingredients and set on the table. She grabbed a bowl and a spoon on the table. Evie took out the folded paper from her jacket, unfolded it and gently smooth out the wrinkles on the table. "To think that I would use a sleeping potion…" she mumbled to herself as she remembered her mother's words.

_["There's a difference between a sleeping potion and a poison sleeping, my little Evilette in training."]_

Evie read the ingredients from the paper. _'I need dried valerian root, dried passionflower, lavender, peppermint, chamomile, and licorice. Don't forget the honey for the taste.' _It has been a couple of years or so since she made potions. She hardly does it since Mal is the one with magic ability and skills, so Evie never bothers with doing any potion-making skills.

She clearly remembered that day in the past where she learned that Mal has better skills than her.

**[Flashback]**

_A twelve years old Evie walked down the road with a basket filled with rotten fruits. A mischievous smirked on her face when she reached the area where Mal is spray painting on the brick wall. Evie watched Mal's back as she carefully grabbed a rotten apple._

_The little blue-haired princess pulled her hand back then threw at Mal. However, the little purple dragon turned around and caught the rotten apple in her hand. Mal's eyes glowed in green as a naughty smirked directed to Evie. "Well, well, well… if it isn't the Blueberry Princess." She crushed the rotten fruit in her hand easily and dropped it as it splats the ground. "When are you ever going to learn that I'm better than you." She stalked toward Evie as if she's the predator and Evie is the prey._

_Evie stood her own feet with her chin held up. "You are not better than me, rotten gecko." She snapped with weak glared._

_Mal chuckled humorlessly then suddenly, sprang herself onto Evie. The girls are shoving and pulling against each other while rolling over the dirt road with dirty puddles and litters. Soon, Mal slammed Evie against the ground with her on top. "See, I told you. I'm better than you." Mal smirked with smugness. _

_Evie teary glared at Mal as she can feel the pain from her body. "I am better, I am the daughter of the great evilest of all evil villain, Maleficent." Then Mal pulled Evie and slammed her again then stood up. The little dragon dusts the dirt from her clothes and adjusted her jacket. "Later, Blueberry Princess." She walked away, coolly._

_The blue-haired princess sat up as tears slipped down. However, she wiped it away frustrated. "Better than me? Then I will become better than you! I'll even become a better potion-making than you, you stupid rotten gecko." She stood up, attempt to brush the dirt and dust from her clothes and walked away in the opposite direction while frustrated that she failed to prank Mal. _

**[End of Flashback]**

Evie smiles softly as she finished bake a pumpkin spice honey cookie on the cookie sheet. _'In the end, I did become one of the best potion-making but… now I don't care.' _She mused, feeling enjoyable recollection of the past. Then glanced at the cookie. "Soon, you'll go to dreamland." She grabbed a plastic bag and put a cookie in it.

The blue-haired princess cleaned up her mess and put away. She grabbed her old potion paper and tucked in her pocket along with a cookie then left the kitchen.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

It's been a few hours and Evie has been working on designing the clothes on her desk. She carefully sews the sleeves of the dress then turned off the sewing machine. Evie leaned back while checking over the dress and nodded her head with satisfied.

Her smartphone lit up that caught her attention. Evie's eyes glanced over at the screen, saw a photo of Doug who is calling her. She doesn't feel like talking anyone right now, so she ignores the call and went back to the dress.

Then, the door opened and closed heard. The blue-haired princess turned around and saw Mal walked into her bed, set her backpack and books on her bed. Mal turned to Evie with concerned. "Is everything alright?" she walked to her best friend.

"Yeah, everything's fine." Evie said with a smile then she stood up from her stool. She picked up a dress to showed Mal. "Your dress is done."

The blonde-haired girl gasped at the beautiful thigh-length dress, the top is pale blue with a pink skirt in the different shade by the lights, and marigold color see-through sleeves that cuffed around the wrists. "It's beautiful…. Very Auradon-like dress." She gently touches the dress.

"I'm glad that you like it. I just need you to put it on and make sure the measurements are perfect and a little trek to fix. Also…" Evie placed the dress on the desk, bend down to grab a box and stood up. She opened the lid and took out marigold wedged sandals with pink and blue gems attached. "It matched your new dress."

Mal shook her head with amazed. "Thank you, E. They are amazing… perfect for the meetings." She is glad to have such talented and thoughtful best friend.

"There's no need to thank me for this, M. You're my best friend and I will do anything for you. Plus, I love making dresses and shoes." Evie said with a soft smile.

The daughter of Maleficent nodded her head then carefully examined her best friend. "I heard that you missed half of the day at school… are you sure that you are okay?"

Evie gently set the shoes in the box and left on the desk. "I wasn't feeling well earlier, but I'm really okay now." She turned to Mal with a false smile. "Truly."

Mal stared at Evie then slowly nodded her head. "Okay." Then her green eyes glanced at her new dress. "So, I try this on?" the blue-haired princess beamed at her as she nodded her head. "Great." Mal cheered weakly as she grabbed the dress carefully and start changed her outfit.

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* * *

.

**Later…**

The clock showed that it's midnight and the brown eyes glanced over the bed where her best friend is sleeping, peacefully. Slowly, Evie sat up as she pushed her blanket away from her and swing her legs over the edge of her bed. She couldn't make too much noise to wake up the sleeping dragon, so she decided to leave in her pajamas of matching sets in the red color of button short-sleeve shirts and shorts.

Evie stood up from her bed, slipped on her red booties, grabbed her blue leather jacket, and her red box purse that contained a replica of a magic mirror and a cookie. She quietly tip-toe out of the bedroom into the empty hallway. Evie took out her smartphone from her pocket to turned on the flashlight, dimmed yet bright enough for her to see in the dark.

Evie crept down the dark hallway with her dull flashlight quietly, when she turned the corner as she glanced her surroundings with caution.

The blue-haired princess has successfully left the dorm and immediately head to the museum as she clearly memorized. _'Plus, it's only about two point three miles away from here.' _

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* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Museum of Cultural History**

When she finally arrived at the museum, she went upstairs and saw the security guard sitting on a rolling chair while scanned the monitors. Evie bends down, took out a cookie in a plastic bag and a notepad. She grabbed her favorite pen and write it down on a fresh paper in her notepad. Torn it off and slipped inside the plastic bag. After that, she placed her notepad and pen in her purse and set the cookie down. Evie knocked on the door hard and loud enough for the guard to hear.

The blue-haired princess quickly down the stairs to the pillar and hid behind. She carefully peeks and waits. The daughter of the Evil Queen watched a security guard opened the door, looked around with suspicious then glanced down. He bends down, picked up a plastic bag with a cookie and a note. He read it out loud. "I admired you from afar. I can't help but want to give you this special cookie since you've worked so hard. Please accept this cookie. Your admirer." The guard blushed as he felt flattered. He glanced around carefully then walked back inside.

'_Huh… that actually work. But will he eat it?' _Evie jogged upstairs to the doors and peeked through the windows. Her eyes widen in surprise that a guard has already opened the bag and took a big bite from a cookie.

Soon, the guard yawned loudly and walked to his chair, sat down and leaned back with his eyes closed. And snored that he has fallen asleep. _'Good to know that it works. Now, I only have a few hours until he wakes up.' _Evie reached the doorknob and is pleased that it's left unlocked. She assumed the guard forgot to lock it since he was distracted by a note and a cookie.

Evie walked inside the museum and shut it behind her. She walked to the main computer, reached the keyboard to turned off the alarms in a certain room and made the camera switched to a different area just in case. She nodded her head with satisfied as to the feeling of familiarity with being troublemaker which brings a smile on her face. Even though she chose to be good, doesn't mean she completely erases her mischievous attitude.

_[A little thief is back in action~  
What a wonderful sin~  
Mischief runs through my veins~  
The skill is the tip on my fingers~!]_

The blue-haired princess dances away from the guard while observed the monitors that held the magical objects. She twirled around the spinning wheel and left the room to the hallway.

_[Walking through down the dark, empty halls~  
Filled with magical items~  
So tempting~  
Want to steal it all~]_

Evie dances around the pillars. They are covered in a glass dome and she can see all kinds of objects. There are glass slippers, magic lamp, a chipped teacup, a necklace of an acorn and metal thimble, Emperor Kuzco crown and tribal necklace with a shell.

_[Called me a little thief~  
Enjoyed the sparkly things~  
Must have it with a touch~  
My fingers are eager to nick pick~]_

She twirled around graceful, hands hover around the objects and slide away from the pillars. Her eyes landed on a china sword attached on a wall along with scrolls and art of a red dragon. When she reached the staircase with a signed of villains is on the top floor.

_[A little thief is back in action~  
What a wonderful sin~  
Mischief runs through my veins~  
The skill is the tip on my fingers~!]_

The daughter of the Evil Queen arrived the floor and roamed to the room where the villains of statues held. Her eyes immediately attached to her mother while gliding to the pillar where the magic mirror is. She reached the glass dome, lifted it up slowly and carefully then set it down on the ground.

_[There's been a robbery~  
Tore it away in my little pocket~  
I made no apologies~  
So, call me a little thief~]_

Evie switched the magic mirror. She held up a real magic mirror in her hand as the white smokes appeared in the mirror. _**"Evie." **_The blue-haired princess tucks the mirror in her pocket and made sure the copy of the magic mirror set in the hook stand. She picked up a glass dome and set it on the platform. She back away smoothly as her eyes are on her mother then turned around, leaving.

_[What a wonderful sin~  
Mischief runs through my veins~  
The skill is the tip on my fingers~  
I say good night~  
Walk out the door~]_

The blue-haired princess return to the main area, grabbed a half-bitten cookie and crushed in her hand and threw away in the trashcan next to the doors. She walked out to the night and cold air. Her brown eyes glanced over her shoulders at the museum with amazed she actually did it, all on her own. Then she turned her head forward and descended the stairs with a victory smirked. "Call me a little thief." Evie sang softly in the end. _  
_


	5. Ch IV: Nightmares

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *beam happily***

**This is one of the reasons why it's rated T, this chapter now has a little bit darker so, keep that in mind, okay?**

**After this chapter, it will get a bit darker as it will explain later in the story.**

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *dance* :)**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. I don't own anything. None. *must this stab in my heart every time I use a disclaimer? *sob*)**

**Enjoy~ x)**

* * *

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

A daughter of the Evil Queen returns to her bedroom, quietly shut the door behind her while keeping her eyes on sleeping dragon. Then locked the door with a very soft clicked. Evie tiptoe to her side of the room slipped off her booties, shred her jacket and her purse then climbed onto her bed. Evie slides her legs under her blanket and stared at the magic mirror in her hand that is provided the light by the moonlight. The magic mirror didn't react anything and she wants to speak to it but was nervous and afraid to wake up a grumpy sleeping dragon.

The blue-haired princess decided that she'll talk to it alone later during the day. So, she leaned back on her pillow and pushed her magic mirror under her pillow, hidden from any prying eyes. Almost immediately, her eyes fluttered shut.

Underneath her pillow, white smokes appeared inside of a magic mirror. When the light brightens up, the small smoke escape from the mirror, flew out of the fluffy pillow and appeared above the sleeping blue-haired princess. The tiny smokes twirling around, and Evie's furrowed her eyebrows with uneasy.

**[Mindscape]**

_Evie opened her eyes and discovered that she's in the same dark room with mirror floor once again. She frowned deeply when she noticed that there are no white smokes. Her brown eyes glanced around in caution. "Hello?" she called out nervously while walking aimlessly. No respond came so, she glanced down and saw her reflection from the mirror. Even in a dream, she looks pretty. Her lips twitched with a small smile. _

_**"****My Princess…" **__Evie snapped her head up and glanced around in hope to find any source from that voice. __**"You came." **__She turned around, and eyes wide in fear yet curious. Front of her is a white smoke in the shape of a large figure. _

_The blue-haired princess gulped. "…who… what are you?" she asked, slightly anxious._

_**"I am nothing but the truth. I am the truth but nothing, my Princess." **_

_"The truth? Are you saying that you, as a being, a truth?" Evie tries to understand the puzzle answers from the smokes. Instead of an answer, the smoke changed it forms as it is swirling in a circle and the image appeared in the middle. Soon, a familiar young woman revealed inside. _

_Evie gasped in shocked. "Mom?" she didn't expect to see a young-looking mother inside the image. She watched her mother standing in front of the bed, dressed in a lacey nightgown as she walked gracefully toward the bed where the King is sleeping. The Evil Queen reached the bed, climbed on it and to the sleeping King. When she sat down on the King, she slowly lifted her arms with a dangerous jagged dagger in hands. The Evil Queen stabbed straight to the King's heart, mercilessly. _

_The blue-haired princess looked away in shocked, disgusted, and scared. She can hear the panicked, choked, and terrible agony from the poor King. Evie shudders as she can never unseen the action of her mother's dark past. Evie knew that her mother did unspeakable evil things, but to witness that she murdered a King by her own hands. It's…different._

_"Why… why did you show me that?" Evie closed her eyes to attempted to control her tears of fear. _

_**"****Must pay." **__It answered, mysteriously. Evie turned her head to the smoke with confused but regretted it when the image of a dead King on the bed, covered in blood. She shut her eyes feeling disgusted and edgy._

**[End of Mindscape]**

Evie opened her eyes as she sat up, unaware the smoke flew back inside the magic mirror. She shudders in frightened. She doesn't want to see her mother's past nor watch how her own mother murdered the innocent man. _'…I don't think I can see her the same ever again.' _She curled her legs to her chest and rest her forehead against her knees.

**.**

**..**

**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Four**

**"Nightmares"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Courtyard**

A blue-haired princess rested her head on her folded arms, on top of the table alone. Evie didn't feel well since she hasn't been sleeping late for the fourth time. She has been tried so hard to stay awake for the lessons and assured her friends that she is perfectly fine. However, she doesn't know how long she can act like this since she never experiences losing so much sleep before. Evie always made sure she gets her beauty sleep but now, she just couldn't sleep. _Peaceful_.

Suddenly, a hand touched her back which startled Evie as she sat up in shock. She jerked her head and saw a familiar worried face from a daughter of Mulan and Li Shang. "Hey, are you alright?" Lonnie asked with concerned as she sat down next to Evie.

"Uh, yeah. I'm just tired." Evie explained with a weak smile. She turned her head at her untouched lunch on the tray in front of her.

Lonnie frowned deeply as she never has seen the blue-haired beauty so exhausted before. "Are you sure? Do you need to go back to your dorm and rest? Take a break? I can talk to the Headmistress Godmother, I'm sure she'll excuse you for today." She said with concerned, wanting to help the daughter of the Evil Queen.

Evie glanced at Lonnie with a soft smile. "Really, I'm fi-" she paused when she saw from the corner of her eyes. It was Doug who is talking to his band members. Evie doesn't want to talk to him right now, not if he realized she's at the table. She doesn't want to deal with this, she knew that he'll start asking questions. However, she couldn't think straight since she lacks sleep and her mind kept going back when she saw her mother murdered the innocent man she married to. "Actually…" she turned her attention back to Lonnie.

"I think that's probably a good idea. I should head to my dorm and sleep. Will you ask Headmistress for me?" Lonnie nodded her head. "Thank you." Evie stood up from the bench, grabbed her tray and walked away.

Lonnie watched the daughter of the Evil Queen walked away until she was out of her sights. The warrior turned her head to the direction where Evie stared earlier. She saw Doug and frowned appeared on her face. _'Is she avoiding him?' _she mused with curious then shook her idea away. "That's ridiculous. They may not be in an official relationship, but I do know they like each other. It must be something else." Then she remembered something. "Shoot, I forgot to ask her about the dress for the cotillion." She clicked her tongue but decided to ask the blue-haired ex-villain next time.

The daughter of Mulan and Li Shang stood up and head to the school building to inform the Headmistress about Evie's absent.

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* * *

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**Location Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Evie arrived in her bedroom, took off her leather jacket and set it on her desk as she slipped off her booties. Then walked to her bed, climbed over it and flop heavily. Her face pressed against her pillow without care about the change in comfortable clothes nor wash off her make-up. She is too tired that her eyes fluttered shut.

**[Mindscape]**

_The blue-haired princess opens her eyes as she found herself laying on the mirrored ground. She pushed herself up and glanced around at the familiar dark room. She slumped her shoulders as she could feel the anxious inside of her. Evie doesn't want to be here, she just wants to sleep and forget about everything. _

_**"****My Princess…" **__Evie's lips tremble slightly as she lifted her head and saw a white smoke floating toward her. _

_"What do you want from me?" Evie asked in fear, curious, and nervous. Instead of voice it out, the smoke swirled around the front of her then the image appeared in the middle. "Wait…" she shudders in panic, but the smoke ignored her as she was forced to watch her mother through the motion film-like._

_Inside of the image, her mother was in her robe as she stood in front of the fancy, floating mirror with a jagged dagger that was covered in blood. She pointed the dagger at the mirror and opened her mouth. The Evil Queen spoke in a different language while she danced with the dangerous murder weapon in hand. Then she stabbed herself and dropped her knees._

_Evie watched in horror as she covered her mouth while her eyes were widened in stunned. She continued watching her mother in the image._

_Back to the motion film-like, the Evil Queen lifted her head and chanted in the language. Then neon-red smokes came out of the mirror, it danced around the woman as she continued speaking. Then the neon-red smokes flew through her body a few times until the dagger vanished and covered her. After a few heartbeats, the neon-red smokes dissolved. _

_The Evil Queen has her eyes closed while sitting on the ground. Then she opened her eyes to revealed scarlet color. She glanced down at the book in her hands and a greedy, vicious smirked appeared on her face._

_Then the memory faded away and Evie stared in disbelieved. "W-what…" she couldn't believe that her mother stabbed herself and used magic. She knew that her mother has experienced with magic, but to actually use magic is a different story. "How is that possible…"_

_**"****Your mother sold her soul and body to the evil spirit for magic." **__The white smoky answered, calmly as it dances in the air front of Evie. _

_The blue-haired princess shook her head in doubt. "Impossible. She knows magic but she never uses magic. She can't use it. That's just impossible." _

_**"****I am nothing but the truth, my Princess." **__Evie closed her eyes as she is aware that the mirror never lies as her mother always told her. _

_"_…_then what's with these… memories of my mother's past? Why are you showing it to me?" Evie asked, lost and confused while clenched her hands into fists._

_**"****Must pay…" **_

_Evie snapped her eyes open and stared at the white smoke in front of her. She remembered it told her this before, but she didn't understand. "Pay for what? What are you saying?!" she is getting confused and scared._

_**"…****.for price." **_

_The blue-haired princess froze with petrified. She knew that answer is not pleasing one bit. She knew that kind of answer comes with a terrible consequence. "W-what do you mean?" her heart beats fast with nervous. Evie hopes it's not what she thinks it is._

_Her brown eyes watched the white smoky flies toward her and around her for a few seconds until it lowered to the ground and vanished, before left words that shocked her to the core. __**"The curse of magic runs through your veins, my Princess. That you must pay." **__Then her eyes slowly stared down and started hyperventilating when she saw her eyes glowed in scarlet. _

**[End of Manscape]**

"No!" Evie sat up in frightening as her hair flew over her shoulders. Her eyes darts around in her empty dorm room, she climbed out of her bed and stumbled to the bathroom. The blue-haired princess shut the door behind her, locked it and ran to the mirror above the sink. Her hands touched the edge of the sink as she leaned to the mirror.

Her brown eyes are widened with confused and panicked. However, nothing change that she almost is relief however, her eyes flickered in scarlet for a few seconds. "No… no, no, no." she shook her head in horror as tears appeared from her eyes. "…what did you do, mom?" she whimpered with distressed as she slowly fell on the ground and dropped her head as she dryly sobbed.

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* * *

.

**Later…**

Evie is working on her designing clothes on her desk during the night with dull light from the lamp. Mal has return earlier and saw the blue-haired princess asleep on a bed. Mal fell for the act and went to sleep in her own bed. And now, after a few hours later, Evie left her bed and decided to work on the clothes. She refused to go back to sleep as she is scared to see another of her mother's memories.

The blue-haired princess made sure she doesn't see any reflection of herself because she doesn't want to see the scarlet eyes. She doesn't want to believe that she has cursed magic in her blood. Evie just wants to forget it all as one of the reasons why she is focusing on making clothes.

It helped get her mind off for a few hours until the sunrises in the sky. The light brightens up the environment and Evie snapped out of it when she felt warm sunlight touch her bare skin. Her brown eyes lifted up and saw the beautiful day. Suddenly, she could feel drowsy and she knew she needs to sleep but she was too afraid of it.

For once, she is considering having a coffee as she knew it was bad for her. However, she doesn't care as she needs something to stay awake. Evie stood up from the stool, walked to the wardrobe to change her clothes while forced herself to look away from the mirror. Evie glanced at the make-up kits on the vanity with hesitant. She adores apply make-up, but she was too nervous to see the mirror.

Out of character for Evie, she grabbed a jacket with a hood to cover her non-make-up face. She slipped it on, pulled up a hood, and grabbed her things and left the bedroom before she turned off the lamp quietly.

Unaware that she was watched by green eyes this entire time. When the door shut quietly, Mal sat up with worried. "Evie…" she never saw her best friend left the room without make-up before or even wears a hood to cover her face. Mal immediately knew there's something wrong with the blue-haired princess. And she's going to get this bottom of it.

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* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Remedial Goodness 101**

The blue-haired princess arrived at the classroom too early as she is resting in her arms on the desk. Oh, how she wishes she can sleep off right now, but her fear prevents her from it. It's a good thing that she had coffee so it gives her enough energy to get this class through.

And then, Mal walked in with a worried frown on her face when she saw Evie. Mal walked to her seat, set her things on the table and sit on the chair. "Evie…" she called out softly as she reached her best friend's shoulder.

The blonde-haired girl watched Evie raised her head, but her hair blocked her face. "Yes, Mal?"

"Are you alright?" the dragon asked with furrowed eyebrows as she tilted her head, tried to see Evie's face. However, Evie turned away slightly.

"I'm fine. Just really tired, is all."

Mal opened her mouth but shut it when she heard footsteps coming in the classroom. She turned and saw her other two best friends. Carlos and Jay greeted them and went to their seats. However, the white-haired boy paused when he set his backpack on the table when his eyes landed on Evie.

"Evie?" he called out in concerned, he never seen Evie wears a hood as he clearly remembered she doesn't like wearing it. His brown eyes glanced at Mal's eyes with confused.

Mal just shrugged her shoulders and turned back to Evie as she rubbed the blue-haired princess' back gently.

Carlos walked to their table, stand in front of Evie who is still looking down with her hair covered. "Hey, Eve…" he reached to her, try to brush her hair away from her face but Evie leaned back, dodged his hands. Carlos felt hurt by her action, but he is more concerned for her.

Meanwhile, Jay has been watching in silent at Evie in his seat. Before anyone could say or do anything to Evie, the Headmistress Fairy Godmother arrived in the class. "Please go to your seat, dears." She called out happily as she walked to the platform with a lesson in mind.

Carlos glanced at Evie last time and went to his seat quietly. Mal leaned back to her seat before she rubbed Evie's back one last time. Headmistress Fairy Godmother took out her stick pointer and smiles widely. "Now… today we will learn –"

Evie tuned out the lectures as she attempts to stay awake on her own while ignored the concerned eyes on her.

.

* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Hallway**

Carlos walked down the hallway while zipped up his backpack then slide it back on. His brown eyes glanced up and saw Evie stand in front of her closed locker. He immediately rushed toward her with worried. "Eve." He called out as Evie flinched in surprised.

He watched her tilted her head at him as her face is still covered. "Hey… are you okay?" when he reached to her while playing with his backpack strap. The white-haired boy bends his head in attempted to catch her face, but it was futile.

Evie nodded her head as she turned her head. "I'm fine, just tired."

"I thought you were going to sleep early." Carlos frowned.

The blue-haired princess hesitated. "I did… just, woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. So, I work on my designing clothes."

Carlos shook his head with quite bother by his beautiful best friend's odd act. "I know how much you love to design clothes, but you need to take a break. You really need to sleep and…" he walked close to her as he tried to look at her face once again.

However, Evie steps back while turned her head. Carlos sighed loudly. "I'm seriously started to worry about you, Evie. This isn't like you." He reached for her shoulder, but Evie jumped back when the alarm bell rang. "Whoa, calm down."

"I'm sorry, Carlos, but I got to go. Don't want to be late." Evie turned around and almost ran off.

The son of Cruella de Vil stood there, watching her in shocked and hurt, alone. "…what's wrong with you, Evie?" his heart sank slightly when Evie refused to show her face to him and dodge his touch. _'Did I do something wrong?' _he is lost.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Outside**

The son of Jafar walked through the path while checking over his gym bag as he is making sure he has things for the practice today, after school. He nodded his head with satisfied. The ex-thief _almost _missed the figure by the tree. His dark eyes found a familiar figure leaning heavily on the tree trunk. He tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes as he finds it odd, they this figure seemed so familiar to him. Jay walked closer and to his surprise, it was Evie who is sleeping with her hair covered her face.

He noticed that she was shaking in her sleep. He frowned with concern, he bends down and reaches for her intend to wake her up.

Meanwhile, Evie has fallen asleep accidentally as she leaned against the tree, hiding from anyone.

**[Mindscape]**

_Evie moaned in anxious as she is back to the dark room once again. "Please… please stop." She begged when she saw a white smoky appeared from the ground of the mirror as she tried not to see her reflection. _

_But the white smokes ignored her pleas when it floated in front of her and swirled around once again to see her mother. "No…" she chocked when she saw her mother's horrifying appearance. _

_In the motion film-like, the Evil Queen looked so ghastly hideous. Her hair was falling apart, her once pure skin is showing awful wrinkles, her teeth are crooked, her eyes were sunken, and her back was hunched. It was a major transformed and the Evil Queen was beyond furious as she stalked toward the large mirror._

_The Evil Queen squealed in anger and demanded the magic mirror how to return to her youthful and beautiful look. The magic mirror answered her question which brings interested and greedily happy that Evil Queen ordered the soldiers to capture the young females._

_Then the memory faded while Evie stared at it with tears appeared but refused to let it shed. She gulped dryly as her stomach clenched in disgusted. "She… she killed them, didn't she?" she whimpered, knowingly that her mother did murder the King in cold blood, it wouldn't be too much of a surprise if her mother has more blood on her hands. _

_Before the white smokes showed her more, she felt her shoulder shake that she shut her eyes. Feeling herself leaving the room._

**[End of Mindscape]**

The blue-haired princess sat up in shocked and glanced around in fear and nervousness. "Whoa, calm down, Blue." Evie jerked her head at Jay, accidentally revealed her face to him which stunned him.

Evie stood up and stumbled herself away from Jay who stared at her. She shook her head and run off, leaving him alone. "…she's…" Jay attempt to processes what just happened in his mind. "The hell just happened?" he blurted it out in shock as he slowly stands on his feet with suspicious and worried.

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* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Courtyard**

For the first time, three ex-villains sit in their spot without Evie. They are gathered around on the table with half-eaten lunch on their trays. Mal is sitting across from Jay and Carlos. The blonde-haired girl runs her tongue over her teeth while playing with her food with her fork. Then she set the fork down and sighed. "Something is wrong with Evie." She blurted it out, getting out of her system.

The white-haired boy sighed heavily while picking his muffin, leaving the messy crumbs on the plate. "You can say that again."

Jay shoves his tray, leaned forward with his folded arms on the table, close to his two best friends. "I saw her a while ago, she was sleeping against the tree. If I haven't noticed, she would've successfully hidden from any eyes." He said, calmly.

"Well, she hasn't been sleeping at all last night." Mal frowned. "I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't been sleeping for more than one night. I didn't even notice it." She felt terrible even though she's been busy with classes and hanging out with her boyfriend.

Carlos furrowed his eyebrows as he stopped messing with his muffin. He turned to Jay. "Did you find out when you approached her?"

"That's the thing…" Jay hesitated. "She doesn't look comfortable in her sleep… I think she's having a nightmare."

The dragon girl scoffed. "Nightmare? What could she possibly have one now? We've been living here for three months." Mal crossed her arms, angry that she couldn't figure it out why her best friend is out of character.

The white-haired boy noticed that Jay seemed to stall his words. "There is more, isn't there." He stated and Mal's green eyes shifted to the ex-thief as well.

Jay firmed his lips in line as he glanced around, trying to find words to tell his best friends. "…I saw her face." This spark interested both white-haired boy and a blonde-haired girl. "…no make-up. Completely bare… it's the first time I have seen it."

"…I knew that she didn't apply her make-up this early morning, but I assumed she would do it later in the bathroom or somewhere." Mal was baffled by this.

Carlos narrowed his eyes at his buddy. "There's more. Spill it out." He elbowed at the son of Jafar who stared blankly at the table then he lifted his eyes at them.

"She was scared. Not a typical kind of jump scare. But more like…" Jay's eyes harden with serious. "…she was genuinely frightened, and I never saw such expression on her before."

Mal and Carlos glanced at each other, even more, worried about the blue-haired princess. Then the blonde-haired girl stood up and slammed her hands against the table. "That's it. We're going to find her, corner her, and force her to tell us. Whatever she is hiding, it's scaring her." Mal decided with determined as her green eyes glowed.

Carlos and Jay stood up as well, agreed with Mal's plan as they are worried about their blue-haired best friend.

.

* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

She was sitting on the floor, with her back against the bed while staring at the magic mirror in front of her, upside down so she doesn't have to see her reflection. There are six different coffee cups surrounding her. Curtains are closed, blocked the sunlight. Her hood was pushed down, revealed her bare face and messy blue hair.

Evie could feel the sickening inside of her heart while her eyes stayed on the magic mirror in silent. Her hands are tightened together in clasped as her knuckles turned white as a ghost. Her chest moved up and down at a fast pace. She refuses to shut her eyes, not when it tries to force her to watch her mother's memories and force to see scarlet eyes at the reflection from the ground of the mirror.

The blue-haired princess did like the excitement of being naughty when she stole her magic mirror but, she is starting to regret it now. Whatever is in the magic mirror, it's not something she should touch. She knew the darkness, the cruse, and the magic all in one object would bring terrible chaos.

_'Why did I take it back?'_

_**"****Evie." **_she flinched as the voice interrupted her thought as she is eyeing at the magic mirror in suspicious and cautioned. Now, she knows why it's all because of that whisper that kept calling for her. She attempted to glare at the upside-down mirror.

"Go away. I should've not taken you back with me. I should've ignored you." Evie spat in a low tone. Because of it, she is losing her sleep, ignoring her friends, and do things in secret. _**"My Princess." **_

Evie shook her head frantically. "Leave me alone!" she lowered her head as she covered her ears. Attempted to block out the voice. But then her eyes widen in horror when she saw the white smokes fly out of the magic mirror. "N-no…th-that's impossible…" she stuttered in fear.

Before the blue-haired princess could move, the white smoke attacked through her head as her brown eyes shifted to scarlet dramatically.

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* * *

.

_Her scarlet eyes blinked while a beautiful smile appeared on her face. She is sitting on a red dining chair, dressed in a beautiful purple gown with a black cape, a golden crown with red gems set on top of her head with her hair flowing down like a waterfall. She reached the utensils and start cutting the meats from the plate and took a bite._

_She moaned in delighted and watched the servant walked in with a tray and landed on the table in front of her. Her scarlet eyes spark with thrill when she saw a tray filled with lungs, liver, kidney, and heart. She pointed at the heart and the servant picked up the heart and placed it on her plate. _

_A servant bowed and walked away, leaving her to eat her meal in peace. She watched the heart pumped a few times, moved her fork and knife to cut it down carefully as the blood spurted on her cheek and slowly trail down to her jawline. She ignores it as she took a bite from her fork. "Delicious, not bad for a youthful maiden heart." She giggled with excitement and took another bite._

.

* * *

.

Evie blinked as scarlet faded back to brown in horror disgusted as her stomach tightened and ached in great agony. She continues to swallow her dry throat, but it keeps tautening. Evie knocked and kicked the empty coffee cups away from her as she lowered herself on the floor. The hot, feeble feeling rising through her chest as she attempted to control it.

She shook her head frantically once again. _**"My Princess… you can never escape from price. Without the Queen's payment… you will do in her stead."**_

"W-why?" she hoarse in panicked as tears run down from her eyes. She is still controlling herself while shaking in fear. The white smoky floated around her, almost as if carelessly brushed against her skin which makes her shake even more. _**"Curse magic runs through your veins, you are a daughter of the Evil Queen, and you both share the same blood, the cruse blood, my Princess." **_

Evie whimpered as she forced to remember that her mother ate the organs from the maidens. Finally, she couldn't control it anymore, so she doubled over. A clouded, dark brown mixture of black liquid spilled from her mouth, frizzled as it pooled on the cold, wooden floor of the bedroom. She choked and shivered violently now that her stomach is emptied.

Suddenly, a shut slammed open as Mal stormed in as if she owned the room, which is belonged to her, only half of it. Her green eyes dart around and widen in shocked when she saw how messed her best friend is in.

"Evie!" Carlos runs to the blue-haired princess' side while Jay looked at the vomits in disgusted yet worried. The white-haired boy kneeled beside her, stroking her back with distraught. He never seen her like this before, his beautiful best friend is now completely a wreck.

Mal snapped out of it, she snapped at Jay. "Shut the door and opened the curtains." She ordered the ex-thief who obeyed without question. Mal quickly grabbed her spell-book, turned a few pages until she found what she needs. _"Bubble with soapy wash clutter away. Leave the sparkly polish floor away." _The vomit vanished, and the wooden floor was cleaned and polished. Mal shut her spell-book and walked to her blue-haired best friend.

Jay stroll over the other side where Carlos is rubbing Evie's back. The white-haired boy gently helped the blue-haired princess up to her feet and set her down on her bed. He sits next to her, continues to comfort her.

Mal went to grab a tissue and a glass of water while Jay noticed an object on the ground. He reached down and picked it up. He was surprised to see a magic mirror.

Then, the dragon girl walked up to Evie and handed her a tissue and a glass of water. "Here, E." The blue-haired princess slowly reached and grabbed it. Evie rubbed her lips with a tissue and carefully drink water from the glass, shaking.

Carlos took this chance to brush her hair away from her face, pulled back behind her ears to reveal her red-shot eyes, dried tears on her cheeks, and pale with fear and anxiety. His heart sank at the expression on his beautiful best friend. "Eve…" he whispered her name gently with concerned.

"What's going on, E? This is not normal. Talk to us." Mal demanded with anger yet worried as she crossed her arms, standing in front of Evie.

Carlos glanced at her disapproved of her action but remain in silent while Jay stared at the magic mirror with confused then he glanced up at Evie with a frowned. "Why do you have this? I thought it was in a museum?" Jay held up a magic mirror that caught others' attentions.

Evie whimpered when her eyes landed on a magic mirror that caused her going crazy. "…I'm cursed." All eyes turned on her in shock.


	6. Ch V: Curse

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *squeal happily***

**Remember, this story just has gotten a little bit darker. **

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *dance* :)**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. I don't own anything. None. *must this stab in my heart every time I use a disclaimer? *sob*)**

**Enjoy~ x)**

* * *

_Previously on Lips Red as Poison Apple…_

_Carlos took this chance to brush her hair away from her face, pulled back behind her ears to reveal her red-short eyes, dried tears on her cheeks, and pale with fear and anxiety. His heart sank at the expression on his beautiful best friend. "Eve…" he whispered her name gently with concerned. _

"_What's going on, E? This is not normal. Talk to us." Mal demanded with anger yet worried as she crossed her arms, standing in front of Evie._

_Carlos glanced at her disapproved of her action but remain in silent while Jay stared at the magic mirror with confused then he glanced up at Evie with a frowned. "Why do you have this? I thought it was in a museum?" Jay held up a magic mirror that caught others' attentions._

_Evie whimpered when her eyes landed on a magic mirror that caused her going crazy. "…I'm cursed." All eyes turned on her in shock._

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* * *

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**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

Mal shook her head as her eyes are closed. Processing the words in her mind what her best friend just told them. She took a deep breath then opened her eyes. "Did you just say that you're cursed?" Evie nodded her head in silence as her eyes dart down at the wooden floor.

"Why would you say that?" Carlos blurted it out with worried while he strokes Evie's back gently.

The blue-haired princess hunched over. "The magic mirror." She choked with nervously.

Mal turned her head at Jay who is still holding the magic mirror in hand. She opens her palm and Jay placed it on her hand. The blonde-haired girl examined the magic mirror carefully but nothing out of ordinary. Then she remembered what the former thief just said earlier. "Wait, you thought this was in a museum?" she asked with curiosity.

"Well, yeah. I saw that object in the villain gallery at the museum yesterday." Jay explained as he stared at his blue-haired best friend with contemplative. "…did you, by chance, steal it?"

Mal shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Otherwise, we would have known that something is gone from the museum. And there's no news about any object missing."

The white-haired boy furrowed his eyebrows with confused then he glanced at Evie. "How's that possible, Eve?" he asked Evie gently.

Evie inhaled deeply then released through her mouth. "…it's an only replica of a mirror. The fake one is in the museum." She answered softly.

Mal raised her eyebrows with slightly impressed. "How did that happen?" she is curious.

Instead of an answer, Evie glanced at Carlos who stared at her with confused until he realized it. He sighed softly. "It's from my 3D printer, isn't it." He stated and Evie nodded her head with sheepish eyes.

"Since when?" Jay asked, he never saw her in his and Carlos' room.

The blue-haired princess coughed slightly as she glanced away awkwardly. Mal immediately knew as a smirked appeared on her face, impressed. "You pick locked and secretly made a magic mirror on spotty's 3D printer?" she guessed it right with amused.

Evie nodded her head and Mal shook her head with amazed while Jay was impressed with Evie's sneaky act and Carlos grimaced. "That's not like you, Evie… that… that's more of Isle Evie." Carlos pointed it out.

"I had no choice." Evie slumped her shoulders as her brown eyes glanced over the magic mirror in Mal's hands. "That… that magic mirror asked me to take it." She answered, nervously.

A smirk vanished from Mal's face as her eyes glanced at the magic mirror. "What do you mean by 'asked'?" she is suspicious by this.

"It kept whispered in my head, telling me to take it and I did. But… it showed me things that I don't want to see. And it tells me things." Evie's lips tremble with fear while her head lower as her hair fell to cover her face. However, Carlos reached to brush her hair back to behind her ear.

"Didn't you learn that listening voices from magical items are usually bad news?" Mal sarcastically said. "I mean, it would be fine if we're still on the Isle of the Lost, but this is Auradon that has magic in the air."

Evie closed her eyes. "I know that now, M. I should've not done it."

"Let me guess, you got too soft when a whisper begged you to help it." Mal said with snippy tone. Evie flinched while Carlos and Jay exchanged their glances.

The blonde-haired girl sighed heavily. "Okay. First, what do you mean when you said that you're cursed." She shook her head. "You know what, how about start from the beginning." Mal demanded her best friend to elaborate about it and the story.

"…at first, I thought that the magic mirror was asked to be released, it wants me to take it." Evie said before she rubbed her tired face. "Before I switch the mirrors, I had a dream about the smokes. It spoke to me and in my dream… it's only smokes, mirrored ground, and dark room. Nothing else. It was… kind of scary." She fluttered her eyes shut while she can feel the warm rubbed on her back from her white-haired best friend. "And I figure that the whisper was from the magic mirror, so I made an exact copy of a mirror, sneaked in the museum and switched it. I was going to talk to the magic mirror, but I keep getting nightmares. It showed me my mother's memories. Terrible things she had done in her life, thirty years ago…"

Mal furrowed her eyebrows while Evie opened her eyes and lifted her head to her female best friend. "…it told me that I'm cursed because my mother sold her soul and body to the evil spirits for magic. And the smoke told me that she had to pay the price for it. But she's not here…" Evie trailed off and Mal figured it out.

"Of course." Mal whispered as she got their attention. "Since your mother is at the Isle of the Lost, it blocked all magic and is covered with magic barriers. In order for the price that must be pay, is someone to take her spot, which is you… because you're a daughter of the Evil Queen." Evie nodded her head, that Mal was correct.

Carlos doesn't like this at all. "And this curse… what's going to do to you?" he asked with fear, he didn't want to see anything happen to Evie.

"It depends on what kind of curse, but do you know what it is?" Mal asked Evie who shook her head in response.

Jay sighed. "Then, how are we going to figure that out?" he doesn't want the blue-haired princess to be cursed at all, she doesn't deserve it in his opinion.

The blonde-haired girl glanced down at the innocent magic mirror in her hands. "The only way to find out is to talk to this mirror." Her green eyes contact fear brown eyes. "You have to talk to it."

"W-why?" Evie whimpered as she leaned back, and Carlos' heart sank at her distressed face.

Mal's eyes sharpen. "Because if we don't find out what kind of curse, we won't be able to help you." She blunted and Evie bit her lips, anxious.

"We're right here for you." Carlos whispered to a blue-haired princess with comfort, gentle tone. "You're not alone." He stared at her scared eyes. They both just stared at each other in a tense atmosphere while Jay was slightly awkward and Mal just stood there in silence.

Finally, Evie nodded her head unwillingly. Mal handed the magic mirror to the blue-haired princess. Evie stared at the magic mirror then reach for it, grabbed it gently and slowly lifted it to see her reflection for the first time in a day. "Magic Mirror…in my hand…" she swallowed dryly while staring at the mirror. "…what curse do I possess…" the white smokes appeared in her magic mirror as her brown eyes begin to dull, staring blankly at it.

Mal, Jay, and Carlos caught this strange action but didn't make a move as they needed to know what kind of curse their blue-haired princess has.

**.**

**..**

**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Five**

**"Curse"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**[Mindscape]**

_The blue-haired princess stood on the mirrored ground as she stared nervously at the front of the floating smoke of her. "…what kind of curse do I possess?" she asked once again._

_**"****Look at the ground, do you see what I see?" **__Evie frowned at this strangeness answer. Slowly, she glanced down at the reflection of herself. __**"Can you look at yourself, and tell how you feel? There is so much, but not enough time to say. Remember the laugh, and the times you cried. Remember the nights. Remember the day. The night is the day. Black is white. Does it matter to you? The life you lived never happened, all nothing but a dream. Wake up nothing, no heart nor soul. No smile. No exist. Bliss is nothing. Love is gone. Eternal slumber." **_

_Evie was shaking violently by this mystery words as her mind recite the words from the smokes. Her heartbeat fasts in fear when realizing the answer. "You… are you telling me that my curse… is going to make me forgot everything?! Of who I am…. And the people I love?!" she slowly dropped her knees. "No, I don't want to forget! I can't… I can't forget. I don't want to lose my memories…" she choked in sobbed. _

_**"****Must pay the price, my Princess." **__The white smokes faded away from her blurry visions then she shut her eyes._

**[End of Mindscape]**

Evie gasped as she blinked few times while tears slipped down. She dropped her hand onto her lap while her shoulder shook with sobbing. Carlos immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his shoulder. He rubbed her arms, soothes her. "Hey, hey… Eve…" he called out to her gently.

Mal frowned deeply while Jay is disturbed by seeing this usually cheerful blue-haired princess is now depressed. "What did it say?" Mal asked with cautioned.

"…I'll forget everything. I won't remember who I am nor anyone. I'll be nothing, forever." Disbelieved rose in a tense atmosphere. Jay gritted his teeth, not liking this curse one bit while Mal's eyes glowed in green to control her rage and Carlos' heart sank even further of the thought that his beautiful best friend will lose all her memories. The memories they both created together when they were little kids back on the Isle of the Lost, all the small act of kindness, compassion, and mischievous. He doesn't want her to lose it all, it made her of who she is right now.

The blonde-haired girl took a deep breather. "We need to find a way to break this curse." She proclaimed. There is no way she is going to lose her best friend over the curse.

"How are we going to do that?" Jay asked with curious as he turned to their unofficial leader of the gang.

Mal placed her hands on her hips. "First, we need to find a place where the curse starts." She turned to Evie who is still covered her face on Carlos' shoulder. "E… do you know where your mother sold her soul and body to?"

Evie mumbled into her white-haired best friend's jacket. "What?" Mal leaned forward with a frowned. The blue-haired princess leaned back and wipes away her tears.

"I believe it's in the castle." Evie repeated her answered.

Carlos narrowed his eyes at this. "Wait… you don't mean, that Castle-Across-the-Way, the one on the Isle of the Lost?" he stuttered nervously.

"No." Evie shook her head, denied. "That was her castle. I meant… Heart Castle. When it once belonged to Heart King over thirty years ago." She said, softly.

Jay raised his eyebrows at this. "Hold on, are you telling us that your mother actually married to Heart King, the one from Missing of Heart story?" all heads turned to him with a surprised look. "I _do _have history class, remember?" he sarcastically told them.

Mal shook her head with slightly amused but not very long as she frowned. "So, she married to a Heart King before she married Snow White's father?" Evie nodded her head. "Huh… wonder why she didn't boast to my mother about that."

"That's because she doesn't remember. She knew that she did marry Heart King, but after that, it was blank. She only remembered Snow White's father and the rest after that." Evie explained, almost uninterested.

The white-haired boy hummed. "I wonder if that has something to do with the curse. It must've erased her early memories before it could finish…" he trailed off and Mal picked it up after.

"She was banished to Isle of the Lost and saved from the curse." Mal understood now.

The son of Cruella de Vil just had a thought as fear strikes him. "We're…not going to send her to Isle of the Lost, are we?" he refuses to let go of Evie as his arms, still around her, tighten. The blue-haired princess felt it, she placed her arms around his waist and lowered her head on his shoulder.

Mal and Jay watched the embrace of their best friends. "No." the blonde-haired girl stated. "We're not sending her back to that island. We are going to find the place and destroy the curse. Since it's located in Heart Castle which means that it's still here in Auradon."

"So, what's the plan exactly?" Jay asked with curious.

The blonde-haired girl leaned against her leg. "First, we're going to need a map to find the location and I'll leave that to you, Spotty." Carlos nods his head. "We also need transportation which you'll take care of that, Jay." Jay smirked at this new job.

"I'll research this curse and figure it out if there's any possible cure." Then Mal's green eyes glanced over at Evie. "And E?"

Evie glanced up at Mal quietly. "…I want you to look pretty, so don't refuse this." She ordered with a warning eyes her best friend as she doesn't like seeing Evie's appearance that is completely out of character.

The blue-haired princess blinked in surprised, she has always thought that her friends find it annoyed with her whenever she gave herself a makeover, but it seemed that she was wrong. She glanced at Jay who smirked at her with soft eyes and turned her eyes to Carlos who stared at her with a fond smile. Slowly, a small smile appeared on her face when she turned to Mal. "Understood."

"Good." Mal nods her head with satisfied. "We'll leave tonight at midnight. So, meet me at the Rose Garden five minutes before midnight." Her best friends nodded their heads. "See you later then." She turned around, walked to her bed, grabbed her spell book and left the bedroom with a destination in her mind.

Jay walked to Evie, pats her shoulder with a comfort smirked on his face. "Don't worry, we'll break this curse." He pats once again then left the bedroom with a mission in mind.

And now, Carlos and Evie sit in silence in each other's arms. Slowly, Evie released her arms from the white-haired boy and stood up. "I should get ready, I can't disobey Mal's order." She said with small playful in her tone.

"Of course." Carlos stood up and stared at Evie's eyes. "Just remember, you're not alone. We're here for you. I'm here for you." He said as he reached the strands of Evie's hair and pushed it back over her shoulder. The blue-haired princess just nodded her head with a small smile on her face. "I'll see you later tonight." He gently punched her chin and walked out of the dorm room.

Evie stood alone and took a breather of her own. Then, she walked to her wardrobe to grab a new change of clothes and placed them on her bed. Then she walked to her vanity as her eyes stay on the make-up kits. She sat down on the cushioned stool and slowly lifted her brown eyes to the mirror. Evie flinched at her own appearance. She looked so completely messed up, no wonder Mal ordered her to fix herself.

Her heart drums softly as she made sure that her eyes are not scarlet and soon, her shoulders relax and grabbed waterproof mascara. _'It's okay… just, put on your make-up as usual…' _she mused as she starts applying her make-up.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Library**

**Meanwhile**

Mal carefully searches through the books on the shelves about anything that could cure the forgotten memories. So far, she has found a few but none of them are very helpful. She is started to feel frustrated at the lack of any answer.

"Looking for something?" Mal nearly punches her boyfriend who just decided to walk up to her from behind and voice it. She turned around with a big false smile.

"Don't scare me like that, Ben… otherwise, you'll have to explain the interviews why you have blackeye." Mal said with a warning tone.

Ben smiles charmingly at her. "Sorry." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Now, are you looking for something?"

"What makes you think I'm searching for something?" Mal chuckled awkwardly.

King of Auradon raised his eyebrows. "You are frustrated, and your hands were covered in flames to the point that you _almost _sent the books on fire. That would be devastating for my mother… and the librarian."

Mal glanced down and saw sparks on her fingertips. She clenched them into her fist and vanished her magic. "Oops." She smiles weakly at Ben.

"Seriously, what are you looking for? I can help you." Ben offered his aid.

The blonde-haired girl shook her head. "No, it's fine. Don't worry about that. But thank you." She doesn't want to tell her boyfriend about her best friend who is cursed and that they will have to sneak out tonight to go on a mission. Probably the best not to mention this to Ben, not when Mal is still working on turning a new leaf.

"If you're sure." Ben sighed but smiles at her. "So, are you ready for the meetings?"

Mal blinked and remembered that she'll meet King Aladdin and Queen Jasmine. "Ah, that's like… in two days." She gulped dryly as she is feeling nervous about this.

"Hey…" Ben stared at his girlfriend's eyes. "You'll be fine. I'll be there with you, okay?" that brings a smile on Mal face. She turned her head, offer her cheek and Ben pecked on it. "Now, would you like to have dinner tonight with my parents and me? And I promise that there will be strawberries."

Mal nodded her head. "Of course. I would love to." After a quick exchange of their farewell. The dragon girl watched her boyfriend leave then turned around and glared at the books. "Now, back to finding that curse and cure." She mumbled to herself as she continues searching.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Outside**

**Meanwhile**

The former thief smoothly walked down the path while glanced around. He made sure he wasn't attracting any attention. When he is alone and away from prying eyes, he turned to the corner of the building smoothly and head to the garage. His eyes landed on a few limos while he walked down, calmly with a little slow pace as he calculates the possibility of stealing one of the limos.

His eyes scanned the details of the limos in the garage and saw keys attached on the wall not too far away. Jay made sure he was alone in the empty garage. So, he glides to the garage and immediately grabbed one of the keys from the hook and smoothly slid in his pocket.

Jay turned around and leaned against the wall with his feet prop behind him and his arms crossed. He closed his eyes as if he's waiting for someone while a driver walked out of the office through the garage room. The driver noticed Jay but ignored him as he walked down the path until he was out of the former thief's sights.

The son of Jafar glanced around once again and left as soon as possible in silent. A smug victoried appeared on his face. _'Mission accomplishment.'_

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Jay and Carlos Dorm Room**

**Meanwhile**

The white-haired boy runs his fingers through his hair as his side bang pushed away from his freckled eyes while concentrated on the map in his laptop. He typed a few times on the keyboard and moved his mouse to find the location of the Heart Castle.

"Now where are you…" Carlos mumbled while searching through the castles. He can find the amount of ruined and abandoned castles in the map of Auradon. Before he could find the location, his phone rang which alert him that someone is calling him.

His brown eyes turned to his smartphone that next to his laptop. He was surprised to see his _sort-of former maybe? _Crush that is calling him. Carlos reached his phone, swipe it right to accept a call and pressed on his ear. "Hello?"

_"Hey, Carlos. I'm sorry to bother you, but I kind of need your help. I was so distracted with my job and the whole upcoming with cotillion. I sort of, got behind with my studies. I was hoping you could help me with my study and catch up? Please?" _Jane blurt it out nonstop and asked in the end with sheepish tone.

Carlos glanced at the time on his laptop. It's only a few hours before midnights. "Uh, sure. I can help you with your studies. What time?"

_"Oh, thank you! Is six okay with you?" _

"Yeah, that'll be fine."

_"Great. Th-thank you! I'll be at the library, see you there." _

A smile lifted on his freckled face. "See you there." He hung up, placed his smartphone on the table while thinking about his feeling when he heard Jane's voice. Again, nothing excited nor nervous in his heart. _'Maybe it was just puppy love, after all?' _he mused then shook his head.

Carlos continued to finish his task until he finally found what he is looking for. "There you are… Heart Castle, from the south, southeast outside of the Auradon City. That'll take about four hours to get there by drive." He mused out loud, then went to grab a map from his shelf and marked it from what his laptop map showed him.

"Alright, my task is done." He glanced over at Dude who is laying on his bed. "Sorry I can't take you tonight, Dude." He walked to his dog and gave him a belly rubbed.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Evie and Mal Dorm Room**

**Meanwhile**

The blue-haired princess stood in front of the mirror as she smooth non-wrinkles down her clothes. She wears a blue thigh-length dress with spaghetti straps with a red belt attached around her waist, black leggings tucked into her red boots with heels, black leather jacket, red fingerless gloves with silver heart gem attached, a blue cuff wrapped around her left wrist, a black bracelet with a red heart, red heart earrings, a red heart with golden crown necklace, and a small golden crown hair slip attached on her braid that is over her blue combed hair.

She looked like herself perfectly. Evie sighed softly as she overlooks her appearance then flinched when she noticed her eyes flickered to scarlet. She turned away from her mirror, it wasn't the first time that her eyes kept flicker to scarlet while she was doing her make-up.

Evie walked to her bed, grabbed her heart-shape with gold chain purse and placed it over her shoulder. She already hid her magic mirror in her purse along with small things and she even decided to bring her sleeping perfume. _'I could have used this on a guard but then he would remember me after I use it on him.' _She mused quietly to herself.

Her brown eyes glanced at the clock, she has a few hours to spare so she decided to finish designing clothes to past the time.

Before she knew, hours passed by and the door opened that caught her attention. Evie snapped her head up and saw Mal walked in. "Let's go." She ordered but haled when she saw Evie's appearance. "Good to see you." Evie smiles, she slid off her stool, jogged to Mal and hugged her.

"Thank you, M." Evie genuinely meant it.

Mal smiles as she hugged back. "Of course, E. Now, let head to the Rose Garden." They break the hugged, left the bedroom before turned the lights off and locked the door.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Rose Garden**

Jay and Carlos are already at the destination as they are waiting for their best friends to arrive. They are looking around with caution, not want to attract any attention nor many any noises in a quiet atmosphere.

When they heard rustle and branches snapped. They turned their heads and saw Mal and Evie walked toward them. Jay tipped his head, greeted his best friends and Carlos smiles wide when he saw Evie.

Evie smiles shyly. "How do I look?"

"Just like you." Jay simply said as Evie took that as a compliment.

Carlos stared at her when the moonlight shines upon her beauty. "…stunning." He blurted it out. Jay blinked at Carlos while Mal raised her eyebrows at this with thoughtful.

Evie blinked at Carlos, it's not usual for him to say that word to her before, however, it made her really flattered. Cheery red appeared on her cheeks and smile bloomed on her face. "Thank you." She whispered to her white-haired best friend. They stared at each other eyes which made Jay awkward with this situation.

"Ahem." Jay cleared his throat. "So, we're ready to start the mission?" he breaks out the uncomfortable silence.

Mal turned her head to a former thief. "You got the transportation?" Jay lifted a key and she turned to Carlos who is slightly blushing. "Got the map?"

"Yeah, about four hours away. Marked it on a map." Carlos lifted the folded map.

The blonde-haired girl nods her head. "Good. I have information about curses and cures. Hopefully, it'll be enough to erase that curse from Evie." She glanced at her friends with determined green eyes. "Let's get this party started."


	7. Ch VI: Journey

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *sighed happily***

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *peace* xD**

**I don't own Descendants, 2015. **

** I wrote another lyric, the song... made it up. Once again, sorry if it's suck. I'm not that good to make it up. But whatever, I enjoyed it. ;p**

**TIMELINE is three months BEFORE Descendants 2. **

**Enjoy~ *beam***

* * *

**Location: Auradon Prep**

**Outside**

The former villains' gang carefully, quietly crept to the garage where the limos resident. Jay peeks over the wall as Mal joined underneath him, then Evie, and Carlos the last. Eyes scanned their surroundings under the night sky of the silver moon. Once the coast is clear for them, they tiptoed to the garage door and Jay went ahead to the door. He bends down, grabbed a bobby pin from his beanie and picked a lock. Once he succeeds, he stood up and placed the bobby pin back in his beanie.

The former thief turned around but paused when he noticed three surprised faces to him. "What?" Jay raised his eyebrows at them with confused.

"Since when do you own bobby pins?" Carlos' asked with twitched lips while Mal smirked with amused and Evie lowered her head in attempted to cover her giggled.

Jay narrowed his eyes in defense. "How do you think my hat stays on this entire time?" he sassed to his best friends.

Mal, Carlos, and Evie glanced at each other, then shrugged their shoulders with understood. "I'll get the limo out, hold on." The son of Jafar walked inside the building.

The blonde-haired girl crossed her arms as she scanned their surroundings. While Evie held onto her chain that attached to her purse nervously and Carlos her his hands shoved into his front pockets. They are all waiting in the quiet atmosphere until the garage door lifted upward and a limo drives out of the garage.

Jay rolled down the window, placed his elbow out of the opened-window and leaned his head with a smirked on his face. "Head in." he jerked his head back, telling his friends to climb inside the backseats.

Mal and Evie quickly went to the back door, opened, and climbed in while Carlos walked around to the passenger side, opened and climbed in. The white-haired boy shut it, took out his map and unfolded it. "Alright, we're here…" he pointed at the location where the garage was. "…first, we need to leave the Auradon Prep area and head to the Auradon City." He traced his finger on the map, showing the former thief who is listening carefully as his eyes are on the map.

"Got it." He made sure the garage door is shut behind the limo and start the engine and moved the wheel.

Once the limo is on the road, Carlos pushed the button to rolled down the divider window that blocked from the back. Once the window is down, the white-haired boy turned half-way and saw Evie holding her purse against on her lap while Mal is sat comfortably and playing with a sealed lollipop in her hands. "We'll be at the Heart Castle in about four to five hours, depends on the road." Carlos informed them.

"Alright." Evie nods her head with an uneasy smile on her face. Mal leaned back against the window as her eyes closed. Carlos smiles softly at the blue-haired princess and turned back to sit on the passenger seat properly.

**.**

**..**

**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Six**

**"Jounery"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**Location: Auradon**

**On the Road**

The villain gang in the limo is continuing to drive down the road. In the backseat, Mal is still sleeping for the past hour and a half. Evie couldn't bring herself to fall asleep as she is afraid to see any more memories of her mother's life. So, she has been focused on looking outside through the window. In front of the limo, Jay is behind the wheels as he yawned a few times and shook his head to keep himself awake.

The white-haired boy keeping his eyes on the map and the road as he makes sure they are on the track. Then, his brown eyes noticed grey clouds crawling through the night sky. He narrowed his eyes when he saw a thunder in the distant. "There's going to be rain." He warned the ex-thief. "I don't think it's wise to continue to drive during the rain."

"Then we need to find the shelter." Jay said as he leaned forward in hope to find any refuge. "You don't think the rain will last long?"

Carlos shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think so. Probably an hour or so. But we can use those break time to rest." The former thief nods his head while stirring the wheel as he and Carlos searching any shelter.

.

* * *

.

Until one found an abandoned small cabin. Jay parked outside and shut off the engine while the white-haired boy turned around through the divider opened window. "Hey…" he called out to Evie and Mal. The blue-haired princess snapped out of it and turned to him with curious.

Evie reached to the blonde-haired girl, gently shake her knee which Mal opened her eyes almost immediately. The blonde-haired girl saw Evie tilted her head at the front which Mal turned her attention to Carlos. "What?" Mal blinked as her green eyes glanced out through the window of the woods.

"The rain will come soon, so we're going to take shelter for a little while until it passes." Carlos explained.

The dragon girl sighed. "Fine." She turned to the door, opened it and climbed out, with Evie followed behind.

When all the ex-villains are out of the limousine. They observed the small cabin and walked to the building. Mal reached the doorknob, pushed it inward as the door creaked loudly. She walked inside with confident yet cautioned as she scanned the cabin. It was clearly abandoned with dust everywhere and sheets covered the furniture.

Jay stroll to the bedroom, saw sheet covered the bed and dresser. He took the sheet away, gabbed pillows and walked back to the living room. While Carlos went to the kitchen and noticed cabinets are empty except the table with four mismatching chairs.

And Evie took a trip to the bathroom, beside the obvious, everything is empty, and her brown eyes met the dust-covered mirror. She ignores the dirty mirror as she turned around, leave the bathroom into the living room.

In the living room, Mal already took out the sheets and threw on the ground. She is laying on the couch with her eyes closed and Jay settled on the leather chair with a pillow as his eyes are shut. Evie and Carlos are the ones who are awake as they are seated in the loveseats. The white-haired boy leaned against the arm of the loveseat, making sure he's comfortable enough and closed his eyes.

Evie was envied that her friends were able to sleep effortlessly as she is too afraid to fall asleep. She has been sitting on her side in silent for nearly fifteen minutes.

Suddenly, a thunder heard from the distance that surprised Evie. Her brown eyes shifted to the dust-covered windows and saw white flashes of lightning in the sky. She carefully stood up from the loveseat, walked to the door, and crept outside of the chill air with caution.

Unaware that she is not the only one who is awake, Carlos opened his eyes as he sat up and turned around when he saw Evie left the cabin. The white-haired boy stood up, followed outside of the shelter to the cold air.

Carlos' eyes scanned until he spots a blue-haired beauty girl who is leaning against the limo's hood. He walked up to her as he hands shove inside his pockets. "Hey." He whispered to Evie as he leaned against the hood next to her.

"Hello." Evie greeted back softly as her eyes are glued to the grey clouds and white flashes of lightning. The white-haired boy glanced up as well, watching the sky with her.

"When is the last time you actually slept?" Carlos asked with curious and concerned.

A slightly twitched from her lips. "Honestly… probably, I don't know… five or six nights ago?" Carlos furrowed his eyebrows with a deep frowned on his face.

"How are you still awake?"

Evie scoffed gently. "…fear." She answered humorlessly as she hugged herself with anxious.

Carlos' eyes shifted from the corner of his eyes, watched his best friend staring up with a sad frowned on her face. His heart squeeze with bothers that he doesn't like to see her upset. He wants to see her smile, smile so brightly with light in her eyes. And to hear her delightful laughter that made sour villains smiles. He wants to hear her laugh again, so with determined that he's going to bring a smile back on her face.

Carlos inhaled deeply then exhaled through his mouth as his shoulders relax.

_[I wish you could see what I see~  
Every eye has its own perspective~  
Never underestimate~  
Do you wish to know what I see~  
When I look at you~]_

Evie turned her head at her white-haired best friend with surprised when he speaks up. Her brown eyes stared at his serious eyes. He pushed himself off the limo's hood and stood in front of her as he released his hands from his pockets. Carlos offered his hand to her and the blue-haired princess stared at it in confused silent.

_[I see a girl who is struggling on her own~  
Her eyes are dimmed~  
A frown on her face lacks the light~  
No laughter hear from her is a tragedy~]_

The blue-haired princess accepted her best friend's hand and Carlos gently pulled her as he walked backward. When they are both far enough away from the vehicle into the bare area. Her brown eyes are filled with confusing and curious as she continued staring at the white-haired boy. Carlos pulled her closed to him, he placed his left hand on her waist as Evie's hands are on her sides. Carlos takes the lead in waltz dance by swing side by side with Evie.

_[Where is that smile?~  
The one that lights it up~  
That is meant for the world~  
To see~  
So, where is that smile~ Oh~]_

Carlos twirled Evie around in his arms graceful. Swing front and back, then Evie twirled around herself and faced him once he placed his hand on her back as they are dances side by side while staring at each other. Carlos gently pulled Evie to face him as he switched his hands and his right hand placed on her back. As his left hand gently take her hand from her side, gently touch her fingertips to her elbow with a feather-like touch. Then he pressed her hand on her shoulder and twirled together with her. Her brown eyes started to glimmer. Unaware the slow droplets of water from the grey clouds hit the land and the dancing duo.

_[Heavens are crying~  
Begging, pleading to see that angel's smile~  
Flowers are dying~  
Without the sun shines~  
Shadows are taking over the lights~  
Where~  
Oh~ Where is that smile?~]_

The white-haired boy twirled the blue-haired princess once again while watching her with soft eyes. Then he brings her back to him with his right hand on her back and left hand cupped her right hand as her left hand placed on his shoulder out of reflex. They waltz dance for a minute until Carlos decided to twirl with her in a large circle that brings out a smile appeared on her face. A grinned on his face appeared as well while they continued twirling around, different opposite and back and forth. While slowly soaked by the rain showers.

_[Girl, you are not alone~  
Wipe away your tears~  
Let the sun wash away your darkness~  
Realize that the world needs you~]_

At the cabin with the door opened wide as Mal is leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. Her green eyes are on the dancing duo. Her face has been blanked the entire time as she noticed missing blue-haired beauty and white-haired tech prodigy and watched since the beginning. Then her eyes spark with understanding and a small smile bloom on her face. "I see." She finally gets it from what she has discovered. Then pushed herself off from the doorframe and walked back inside the cabin and waited with sleeping Jay.

_[Where is that smile?~  
The one that lights it up~  
That is meant for the world~  
To see~  
So, where is that smile~ Oh~]_

Meanwhile, Carlos gently tugged Evie closed to him and placed both of his hands on her waist. He lifted her up as Evie's hands are on his shoulders. Carlos twirled her around upward then carefully yet graceful set her down on her feet. A big smile has blossomed on her face as her eyes glittered with excitement. It made Carlos enjoy as he continued dancing with her as his heart beats fast with joyful. Again, they did another waltz dance formally.

_[Now, look~  
The Heaven is singing~  
Flowers are blooming everywhere~  
Lights tamed the shadow and became brighter~  
Is all because you have finally~  
Show your beautiful smile~]_

After Carlos twirled Evie in his arm twice then pulled her side against him. He lowered his arms while supported Evie's weight down, close to the ground. The white-haired boy's eyes stared down at her brown eyes filled with happiness. A soft giggled released from her lips which brings him pleasant feelings. He has made her laugh as he chuckled along with her. Then he carefully pulled her up and face her with a fond smile. _"Nothing you wear is more important than your smile." _He sang kindly as he reached to her face, brushed a wet strand of her hair away from her cheek.

Evie's heart beats fast as she stared at her white-haired best friend's tender eyes. Her palms are sweating, her blood is rushing fast through her veins, her stomach is filled with butterflies and she is feeling warm fuzzy all over her body. All these reactions were all because of Carlos. _'…do… do I like Carlos?' _she mused with nervous yet questioning.

Carlos glanced up at the grey cloud when he noticed the rain just stopped. "Ah, it seems the rain has stopped now. We should go wake up the others and continue the journey to Heart Castle." He said with a smile as he released his hold from her.

Evie suddenly felt cold without his warm arms which made her realize that she is having a possible romantic feeling toward a white-haired tech prodigy. Her brown eyes watched Carlos walked back inside the cabin to inform their best friends. _'…Carlos de Vil, huh?' _she mused with interested, then she walked to the abandoned shelter.

.

* * *

.

The ex-villains return in the limo and Jay started the engine a few minutes ago and driving down the road. In the front seat, the former thief kept glances at the white-haired boy until Carlos couldn't quiet anymore.

"What?" Carlos turned his attention to his best friend with raised eyebrows of slight annoyed.

Jay just shrugged his shoulders as he shifted his eyes on the road this time. "Just wondering why you and Evie are both soaked?"

Red appeared on the freckled-boy as his lips twitched. "…we were outside, to cool off and stuff. Caught in the rain." He fibbed from the truth.

Jay clearly glanced at Carlos from the corner of his eyes with an obvious skeptic. Because Carlos and Evie are very, soaked as if they've been in the rain longer. The son of Jafar shut his mouth and continued driving in silence which Carlos appreciate and return back to the map in his hands.

Meanwhile, in the backseat, Evie fidgeted in her seat while staring out the windows as she already knew that Mal is staring at her with interested eyes and playful smirked.

Finally, the blue-haired princess turned her head to her best friend with a skilled smile. "Yes, M?"

"Oh, nothing. Just wondering what's up with the damped clothes. Did you both got a _dance_ in the rain?" the blonde-haired smirked widely when she saw Evie's cheeks turned pink.

Evie's eyes glanced over at the back of the boys' head across the opened divider then downward on the leather seats with false interested. "I don't know what you are talking about." She stuttered softly.

Mal snorted. _"Sure." _She sassed, but let it drop it for now.

.

* * *

.

**Location: Auradon**

**Heart Castle**

After two hours of driving, they reached to the woods that Carlos was positive that they have arrived at the location. The ex-villains climbed out of the limousine and stand in line as they stared at the woods. "According to the map, the Heart Castle should be a few miles through the woods. We should be able to find it easily, considering if the Heart Castle is quite large." The white-haired boy explained to his best friends.

"Great. Let's hike it through." Mal sarcastically said then stormed her way to the woods. Three others glanced at each other and quickly followed their unofficial leader of the gang.

Jay and Carlos easily caught up to Mal since they both are athletic. However, unfortunately, Evie isn't an athletic, even though she is in good shape enough to dance for a while. The blue-haired princess walked over the rocks and roots carefully while balancing her in heeled booties.

They've been hiking through woods for nearly ten minutes and Carlos made sure that the blue-haired princess isn't too far behind them. He started to slow down a bit until he waited for Evie to catch up. And when she did, they both hiked together side by side in silence.

"That was a wonderful dance, thank you." Evie blurted it out with grateful as an embarrasses smile on her face.

Carlos blinked and stuttered before he cleared his throat. "I just…. I-it's not like you to wear a frown. You better suit with a smile." Evie smiles shyly. "See, you look beautiful when you smile." He said with a timid smile.

The blue-haired princess giggled softly. "…I never thought that I would be enjoying dancing though."

"Really?" he turned to her with surprise.

Evie nodded her head as she hopped over the large roots with graceful. "I mean, I do like to dance. But not like I love to design fashions, or applying make-up, or do make-over… but to dance with you, it was actually enjoyable. I can see why you love to dance. My mother taught me that dancing is the skill I had to learn and that it was only for pleasant formal balls."

"But dances are not just for silly balls." Carlos protected of his love with dance. "Dance… is magical." He pressed his palm over his heart with passionate eyes. "Something inside of me… when I dance, it sets me free. It's my passion. It's my life. I love dancing."

Evie never heard such deep passion from the white-haired boy. "What about the tech stuff?" she is curious.

"Well, I just happened to be a prodigy with technologies." Carlos was smug about it and Evie giggled. "But I do enjoy it. I like them both. Who says I can't have something to be in passionate with more than one?"

The blue-haired princess tilted her head with thoughtful. "…no one. You can love many things as long as you enjoy it."

"Good." Carlos winked at her which send her heart fluttered. He saw a fallen tree trunk blocked the path. However, Mal and Jay easily climbed over it. When they reached it, Carlos climbed up and turned around with his hands reached to Evie.

Evie blinked in pleasantly surprised by such gentleman act but smiles at him. She grabbed his hands, pulled up to the tree trunk with Carlos' help. She watched the white-haired boy jumped down and offer his hand to her. Evie gently takes his hand and jumped down effortlessly. "Thank you." Carlos tipped his head and they both continued walking, following Mal and Jay who are still ahead of them.

After a few heartbeats, Carlos opened his mouth. "We can dance again?" he blurted it out and red color appeared on his freckled face.

Evie turned to Carlos with raised eyebrows. "You mean… like dance duo type?" she asked, just to clarify.

Carlos attempted to shrug coolly. "I enjoyed dancing with you. You've got the skill, it wouldn't hurt to develop more. You won't dance alone, it's more fun to dance with someone, like with me. That is if you want to, you don't have to if you don't want to." He blabbed nervously.

"Carlos." Evie paused her legs with an amused smile when she saw how nervous her best friend is. Carlos halted and stared at her with a timid and nervous smile. "I would love to. It could be really fun." Then she beamed widely. "It would bring awe by the audiences. Don't you think?"

The white-haired boy's heart beats fast with excitement with the many opportunities to dance with his beautiful best friend. "Yeah? They would be jealous of our skills." He chuckled and Evie joined in with her happy giggle.

"Snowflake! Blueberry Princess!" they both snapped out of it when they heard Mal's voice filled with impatience, shouted at them.

"We're being called." Carlos sarcastically said as he is not fond with a nickname and Evie just smiles in resigned.

The blue-haired princess bumped her shoulder against his. "Come on, Los. Before M starts to breathe her fire." She said a playful smile.

Carlos chuckled softly and quickly walked up to her as they both hurried to reach their other best friends.

.

* * *

.

**Later…**

Finally, the ex-villains arrived at the destination. Jay observed the abandoned castle in front of him. "So, this is the Heart Castle."

Front of them, was an abandoned castle of seven lean, square chipped towers reach twice the height of the next tallest building and are connected by reinforced, heavy walls covered with veins and leaves, made of black stone. Simple yet shattered windows are scattered thinly around the walls in seemingly perfect symmetry, along with same-sized holes for archers and artillery. Covered with overgrown veins and flowers. A huge gate with heavy wooden doors, a draw bridge that laid bare as if invite any trespassers easily, left defenseless.

"Huh… I was kind of expecting more… artistic since Heart King himself had expensive taste." Jay frowned with a little bit disappointed.

Mal rolled her eyes. "Doesn't matter now. Right now, we need to find a room where the Evil Queen sold herself to evil spirits." She turned to her best friend. "Do you know which room?"

"I think so. I need to see the room first, I'll be able to recall the right place." Evie explained as her eyes stared at the castle with nervous.

The dragon girl nodded her head with satisfied. "Good." She turned her head to the bridge and the door. "Let's go." She walked ahead fearlessly with Jay followed behind.

Evie was hesitant as she doesn't want to see the rooms where her mother did horrible things from the memories that she was forced to watch. However, she snapped out of it when she felt a warm hand touch her cold hand. Her brown eyes glanced to worried eyes that belonged to a white-haired boy.

"Don't worry. You're not alone. We're here. _I'm here_, Eve." Carlos assured her gently with a smile. And just like that, her anxious fades away and she smiles at him with appreciate, relief and acknowledges that she has developed a romantic feeling to her white-haired best friend. _'But that comes later, right now, we need to focus to get rid of the curse.' _She mused with determined as she squeezes Carlos' hand who squeeze it back.


	8. Ch VII: Heart Castle

**Thanks so much for the favs, follows and reviews! *jumpy around happily***

**Warning: unbeta. English is my second language. ASL (American Sign Language) is my first language. Yes, I'm Deaf. *peace* xD**

**I don't own Descendants. None. *sulk in the corner***

**TIMELINE is three months BEFORE Descendants 2.**

**Enjoy~ *grinned***

* * *

**Location: Auradon**

**Heart Castle**

The doors were pushed inward with a loud squealed, the moonlight shines through the opened doors that ex-villains could barely see the long gallery. Mal immediately took out her smartphone, turned on the flashlights and lifted up. The long gallery is now bright enough, soon the other copied Mal's action and makes it easier for them to see inside of the castle.

The blonde-haired girl walked forward with cautioned as her green eyes carefully observed her surroundings. Jay strolled to the wall while lifted his flashlight from his smartphone to scan the ripped in half portrait. He couldn't see the features of a face, so he ignores it and glanced other portraits on the wall with curious.

Carlos is eyeing at anything suspicious while moved his source of light around him. Not want anything to jump out and scare him. While the blue-haired princess noticed the cracks, damaged on the walls, furniture is covered with dust mites and mold, and there are few weapons such as spears, swords, daggers, and arrows scattered around. _'Was there a battle happened inside the castle?' _she mused with curious and slightly disgusted when she was near the filthy furniture.

As the villains of kids walked to the end of the long gallery, Jay reached the doorknob, twisted and turned then pushed it forward. It was another empty room of marble ground and brick wall with large open windows that faced the courtyard outside.

Mal turned to her female best friend who shook her head. Evie doesn't recognize this room from the memories of her mother's life. So, they went straight to the door that leads to another room which it was a long hallway, on the side, there is a stair that leads to the second level, however down the hallway has a few doors. "Okay, E. What room do you remember?" the dragon girl turned around and asked with annoyed with the thought of waste their time to search entire rooms inside the castle.

Evie bit her lip as she closed her eyes. She attempted to remember the room even though she doesn't want to recollect that awful memory. "…it had white marble ground. The wall was white but filled with a lot of gold color pictures and portraits. I remembered there is a large tub… other than that, that's all." She opened her eyes and greeted a thoughtful face from Mal.

"Sounds like a private bathroom." The dragon girl mused out loud.

The blue-haired princess hummed as she could understand why her best friend thought about that. Plus, her mother did wear a robe in the memory so, it is a possibility that it's a bathroom.

Carlos grimaced. "Do you know how _many _bathrooms there are in this castle? Castles generally has over twenty different private bathrooms." He whined while Jay scowled when he realized it as well.

Mal rolled her eyes. "Suck it up. Plus, we're not going to _search _every bathroom. I assumed that the Evil Queen might use the master bedroom's private bathroom. After all, she was a Queen in this castle, _duh_." She sassed at the boys and Evie silent giggled to herself at the sheepishly looked from the boys.

"That means the master bedroom was on the second floor, or on the third floor." Evie speaks up with general knowledge of castles since she and Mal used to live in a castle back on the Isle of Lost. They did grow up in the castle and knew the layout of castles in general.

The blonde-haired girl nodded her head. "Right, let's head up to the second floor." She ordered her best friends and stormed to the stairs and ascended the stairs. With others followed behind with their flashlights from smartphones which they all thankful for.

When they reached the second level of the castle. There are doors and Mal turned around to face her best friends. "Search the rooms and shout out when you found the master bedroom."

"Got it." They understood and obeyed their unofficial leader's order. And while they are searching for the master bedroom, deep down to the bottom level of the basement. Down to the special door and in a secret room. A floating mirror inside the curtain sparks alive.

_**"****She's here… at last."**_

**.**

**..**

**…**

**Lips Red as Poison Apple**

**Book One: Price to Pay**

**Chapter Seven**

**"Heart Castle"**

**…**

**..**

**.**

**Location: Auradon**

**Heart Castle**

**Second Level**

With a former thief who opened one of the doors, walked inside with cautioned as he shifted his flashlight around the room. It's a large bedroom, however, he wasn't sure if it's the master bedroom. Jay went further in the room to investigate a bit longer. The son of Jafar noticed a fancy shield on the wall, he went to observed and saw the heart and crown symbols on the shield.

After he overlooked the shield which he loses interested it. Jay turned around but when his shoe kicked something light that made soft clicked. He glanced down as he shines his flashlight down, he bends down, grabbed the item and carefully examined it. It's a feminine silver ring with a royal seal. He tilted his head as he is wondering if its worth in money. However, he also thought it would be an excellent collection for the museum. Since the museum rarely has any valuable items that were from the Heart Castle.

Jay decided to keep it in his pocket for now and continued searches in the bedroom.

Meanwhile, in another room where Carlos is careful with high alerted as he searches in the feminine bedroom. He would never understand why a single bedroom would be so large for one person, this room is almost the same size as his former house back on the Isle of the Lost.

_'This is ridiculous.' _Carlos mused with disbelief while searching through the bedroom. He found a door that leads to the giant walk-in closet that he would've faint the though of clean it on his own. He is actually thankful that his old house was not this size of the castle. Just to think of how much chores with many hours to clean made him shudder.

The white-haired boy went to the other door that leads to the bathroom. He walked inside while scanned the area with his flashlight. _'I don't think this is the master one…' _he mused, after doublechecking the bathroom, then he turned around but slipped from the puddle on the ground that was leaked from the water pipe that attached to the bathtub.

Carlos attempted to balance himself as his elbow knocked the rail which shifted it down and the door behind him opened. The white-haired boy yelped in surprised when he fell back through the secret room and the door closed and the rail on the wall shifted it upward. As if there is no change in the bathroom.

In the meantime, in another room, the blue-haired princess found herself in a study room. It wasn't the bedroom, obviously but she decided to investigate the study room with curious. Evie walked to the fancy desk that is covered with dust. She wrinkles her nose with disgust as she picked up one of the paperwork with her index and thumb fingers.

She tilted her head as she narrowed her eyes at the paperwork when she lifted up to her eyes. _'Alliance contract?' _she attempted to read the faded inks. Evie placed the paper back on the desk, uninterested as she glanced around. The blue-haired princess walked closer to the bookshelf, lifted her fingers and shifted through the titles from the books with barely feather-like touch as she doesn't want dirty her fingers.

Meanwhile, back to Jay who walked out of the bedroom and his hearing greeted silence on the second floor. He furrowed his eyebrows with confused, he was expected to hear movements and small noises but none. "Yo?" he called out with curious, but none respond. "Hello? Anyone on this floor?" he tried again and no responses. "Did they go up to the third floor without me?" he mumbled with confused and slightly offended that no one came to get him.

The former thief wandered to the stairs, climbed up with caution. "Hello? Mal? Evie? Carlos?" he called out while climbing the stairs that lead to the third floor.

_"We're up here, Jay!" _a familiar feminine voice called out from the third level. Jay relaxed his shoulders when he heard Mal's voice. "Why didn't you guys tell me –!" he reached to the third floor but halted in shocked when he greeted the long gallery.

"What?" he turned around and found himself face the entrance doors. Jay turned around as he moved his flashlight around and saw familiar ripped in half portrait on the wall. "What?" he repeated in stunned while stared at the damaged portrait and around the long gallery. "How?" he was confused and baffled.

.

* * *

.

**Heart Castle **

**Second Level**

In the meantime, Mal doubted this was the master bedroom which she was kind of frustrated, but she did decide to search through to find any possible clues. However, the bedroom had barely furniture in it and even the walk-in closest is empty. So, she assumed this was just a guest room. The blonde-haired girl shook her head with disappointment and not want to waste her time, she left the bedroom to the hallway and placed her hands on her hips. "Did anyone find the master bedroom?" she called out to her friends.

Her green eyes caught brown eyes from the blue-haired beauty. Evie walked out of the door that was lead to the study room with a shook head. "No." she answered and they both waited for the boys to come out but nothing.

"Guys? Hello?" Mal raised her voice, just in case.

Once again, an eerie silence greeted the girls who glanced at each other. Evie was concerned while Mal was irritated. "I _swear_ on Maleficent if they are fooling around right now. I _will_ send them on fire and laugh with joy." She grumbled as she stormed to the room where Jay is supposedly in.

Evie quickly followed her short-tempered best friend. When they walked in the bedroom, it was empty and Mal turned around, left the room and went in another where Carlos was last seen in. Evie frowned deeply. "Jay?" she called out to former thief but no answer from him.

The blue-haired princess rushed out of the bedroom to the next room where Mal is searching around with a frustrated look on her face. "Los not here?"

Mal paused and turned to Evie with surprised yet frustrated still linger in her eyes. "You haven't called Snowflake that nickname for two years." She pointed it out with interested, wondering when did the blue-haired princess return used the nickname for Carlos.

Evie blushed with embarrassed. "Th-that… Now is not the time to talk about it, M. Do you know where the boys could be?" she attempted to switch the topic.

The dragon girl raised her left eyebrow but decided to let it drop for _now_. "I don't know. My guess that they went to the third floor." She crossed her arms.

"By themselves?" Evie doubted it.

Mal shrugged her shoulders. "Unless you have a better answer?" she said in salty tone. Obvious irritated that the boys are not on the second floor.

The daughter of the Evil Queen bit her lip with loss. She has honestly no idea, she would've to call Jay or Carlos but there were no services in the area.

"Let's just head upstairs while looking for the idiots." Mal snapped as she stormed out of the room. Evie quickly followed her best friend with a wisely shut mouth. Evie does not want to be the target by Mal's anger. _'Where are you?' _Evie mused with concerned for her best friends.

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* * *

.

**Heart Castle**

**Secret Passageway **

Carlos failed to open the door that leads back in the private bathroom, so he decided to walk down the hallway with bricks walls between him. He is eyeing with cautioned and suspicious ahead of him. He doesn't understand why this always happened to him. And he wondered how long this passageway would take? He would never understand why people want to have secrets behind the walls, it's creepy and waste of space and money for it.

However, the son of Cruella de Vil will never understand as he wasn't raised as a prince, he was raised as a slave. His life back on Isle of the Lost was miserable but it made him left miserable ever since he met Evie. The thought of the blue-haired princess brings a smile on his face. He clearly remembered that day when he first saw Evie for the first time, long before he rescued her from his mother's closest when Mal pushed Evie into.

**[Flashback]**

_A seven years old Carlos ran down the road with eyes wide filled with panicked. He can hear a few running footsteps behind him which he forced to sped up. When he turned the corner, down the alleyway, then halted himself when he met a dead end. "Oh no!" he was scared. _

_Then he heard running footsteps arrived and it was too late for him to get away. Carlos turned around with frighten. Four large older boys chuckled as one of them cracked his knuckles. _

"_There you are brat!" one of them smirked evilly._

_Another sneered at the white-haired little boy. "No way to escape from us, you dirty little boy."_

_Four of them prepare to beat up a little boy who is cowered with petrified and quickly shut his eyes. Waiting for the pain. _

_Suddenly, one of the older boys screamed in pain which Carlos snapped his eyes open with confused, nervous, and curious. He glanced up and saw one of the older boys clutched his head in agony. _

"_What the hell was that?!" the one who was in pain while other boy picked up a broken small box that was made of pallets. _

_Then a dropped of cassette tape hit on one of the boys. A screwdriver nearly smacks the older boys. Then, thick wires dropped on them, and soon, a bunch of trashes continued dropped on them as the older boys covered themselves from the pain while they were shouted in pain and anger with demanded of anyone to come out and face them. _

_Carlos noticed that none of the objects are targeted him, so he took his chance to escape through the older boys and ran off down the alleyway, away from the bullies._

_The white-haired little boy turned sharply and can hear the older boys shouted and started run after him. When Carlos' eyes meet the spot, he hid behind the barrel that has a tarp over it and sat down quietly. He can hear the older boys running and shouted with irritated and swore. Then they ran off until the noises from them faded away._

_Carlos sighed in relief that he was saved. Before he could walk out from his hiding place, he paused when he heard different soft footsteps. He paused with nervous and cautioned. The white-haired little boy peek through the hold of the tarp and saw a pretty blue-haired little girl walked down calmly while fanning herself with a plastic CD case. _

"_Bunch of fools." She grumbled then threw the CD case behind her, uninterested and walked away. Carlos continued watching her with curious and realized that she was the one who threw a bunch of items at the bullies and saved Carlos from being bloody beat up. _

_The white-haired little boy climbed out of his hiding place when the blue-haired little girl is out of his sights. His eyes glanced over at the CD case, walked to it and picked it up. He carefully observed the cracked CD case of a drawn beautiful rose. Carlos dubbed his savior as Blue Rose in his mind. In the Isle of the Lost, there's no such thing as saviors but he was wrong. There is one that exists on the miserable island. _

_And because of her, he too, learned that it's okay to rescue people. And later in his life, he rescued his Blue Rose from his mother's closest. It was a fate that they are meant to be each other's saviors and best friends. _

**[End of Flashback]**

Carlos blinked when his eyes met a large back of a picture frame. He pushed his memory back in his head, reached his hand to the picture and pushed it outward. The white-haired boy peeks out in cautioned while holding his flashlight.

The large room was empty, so he jumped down and shut the picture behind him. He observed the room and noticed that he is in the throne room. "Correction, a _really fancy _throne room." Carlos whispered with disbelieved and awed. Now, he understood why Jay assumed that Heart King had expensive taste.

The throne room has modest braziers half encompassing each of the ten travertine columns that are used for light up most of the throne hall and allowed shadows to play and dance where light cannot reach. The paintings of vast landscapes on the domed ceiling dance in the flickering moonlight while statuettes look down upon the mahogany floor of this elegant hall.

A sanguine rug runs from the throne to the doors and is matched by smaller ones on either side of the hall while ribbon banners with ornate borders hang from the walls. Between each banner, all had the depictions of late royal family members below them.  
Huge, a few shattered and cracked stained glass windows depicting divine beings are contoured by veils colored the same sanguine as to the banners. The curtains have been adorned with fancy tassels and fine patterns.

A radiant throne of gold sits atop an elevated platform and is adjoined by two equally impressive seats for those aiding the royal highness in all affairs. The throne is covered in textured and layered motifs and fixed on each of the rather slim feet is a gem-encrusted heart. The comfortable pillows are a light sanguine and these too have been adorned with embellished tufts.

If the throne room wasn't covered with dust, damaged, and shattered. It would be one of the most gorgeous room to be in. Carlos walked through the throne hall while examined his surroundings with his flashlight. Sounds of glasses crushed and cracked underneath his boots until he paused when he saw a large portrait on the wall.

In the portrait, it was a young woman in her twenties, and she was beautiful. And Carlos couldn't help it but felt that he has seen this woman before, her face reminded him of someone but couldn't place his finger on. "Who are you?" he whispered with curious, then he shook his head and decided to leave this throne room and search for his best friends as he knew that Mal is probably angry at him and Evie is worried about him.

.

* * *

.

**Heart Castle**

**Third Level**

The daughter of Maleficent went into one of the rooms while Evie turned to the slightly fancy double doors, she reached the doors and opened it. The blue-haired princess walked in and found herself in the mini-library. She knew this isn't the main library but it's still huge. There are thousands and thousands of books on the shelves.

Evie walked into the library while scanned the shelves and books with slight interested. Once she reached the small area where the couch is pushed against the wall underneath the large windows and a coffee table in front of the couch with a single mini-statue in the middle. A spark of curiosity inside her mind that she walked to the area. Her brown eyes stared at the mini-statue of a handsome man with a crown. _'I assumed this was Heart King?' _she picked it up and studied it with thoughtful.

Before she set the statue down, her thumb accidentally smacked the king crown from the statue's head. Suddenly, the designed pattern of circle swirled opened. Evie gasped softly when she saw the action. She glanced at the statue, then a secret door, back to statue, and a secret door. "Whoa." She blinked with surprise.

Evie set the statue down on the coffee table and decided to inform Mal about this. The blue-haired princess turned around, walked fast down to the mini hall but halted when she heard a whispered.

_**"Evie…" **_scarlet appeared in her eyes as she turned around slowly. _**"Come… come to me…" **_she walked toward to the secret door, her head tilted blankly then lowered herself down inside the hole.

Then the hole shut itself.

In the meantime, Mal walked out of the bedroom and went to the next one. She pushed the door opened without care and paused. Her green eyes survey the bedroom and a smirked of victory appeared on her face. "Finally." She has found a master bedroom.

She walked in the middle of the slightly damaged master bedroom and stared at the portrait of King Heart and the beautiful young woman that she assumed it might be the Evil Queen. "Huh. I wonder why Evil Queen covered her entire appearance except for her face." She mused out loud with curious then shrugged it off.

Mal went to check the private bathroom and saw a large bathtub, white marble ground, the wall was white but filled with a lot of dust-covered pictures and portraits. However, this was it. "Found it." She placed her hands on her hips. "Evie!" she called out while observed the bathroom carefully.

However, a silent greeted her. Mal frowned and called out once again. "E!"

Again, none. Slowly, Mal closed her eyes as she felt the urge to release her frustration but controlled it. "Calm down, Mal. Maybe she couldn't hear me this far. Probably distracted by something…" she opened her eyes with a calm face. The dragon girl quickly left the room and called out her best friend.

"Evie? Where are you?" Mal called out with slight impatience in the hallway. Her eyes spotted an open door, she walked through the door and found herself in the mini-library. "E? I found the place, where are you?" Mal glanced around while walked down with caution.

When she reached the resting area and glanced around. "Evie?" her frustrated vanished as concerned creep up inside of her. The boys, she can understand that they ran off and might be somewhere. However, she knew Evie, the blue-haired princess would never leave alone, especially not in this castle.

"Oh gosh…" Mal is alone and she has no idea where the rest of her best friends are.

.

* * *

.

**Heart Castle**

**Basement**

The scarlet faded away from blue-haired princess' eyes and she blinked a few times. "What?" she blurted it out in confused. She glanced around as she realized that she is standing in the middle of the dark hallway with a flashlight in her hand. "What?" she repeated in shock with no recall of how she got here.

A fear strike in her heart. "What… is happening to me?" she mumbled with anxious. Her head turned back and forth in the middle of the hallway. She has no idea where she was supposed to go in. Evie attempted to see the end of both hallways but only greeted darkness. "Which way am I supposed to go?" she mumbled with worried.

An eerie silence greeted the blue-haired princess. Her shoulders tensed that she has no choice but to take out her magic mirror from her purse, reluctant. She reached her purse, unclasped and dug in to take a mirror from it.

Evie closed her eyes as she took a large inhaled for a few seconds then released it through her mouth. Then she lifted her mirror as she fluttered her eyes open. Evie gulped nervously. "Magic Mirror… which route shall I take that lead me to return my friends?"

The white smokes appeared inside the magic mirror then flew out of the mirror. Evie shudders as she watched the white smokes with fear. However, instead of attack her, it dances in the air to the north direction of the hallway.

The blue-haired princess stared at the floating smoke with suspicious as she pulled the mirror close to her chest. "…I supposed that you want me to follow?" the white smokes flew around and head to the north.

Evie bit her bottom lip with hesitant. _'Can I trust this? But without anyone helping me, I guess I have no choice.' _She mused that doesn't mean she fully trusts the smokes that came out of her magic mirror. So, she followed the white smoke with caution.

It's been very intense for Evie and she felt like she has been walking for hours when in reality, it's only been a few minutes. Then, her brown eyes greeted the white door at the end that is provided by her flashlight.

The blue-haired princess paused in front of the white door with a golden doorknob. She examined the purely cleaned white door which is very highly suspicious. She watched the white smokes flew around the golden doorknob.

Evie shook her head, she turned her head over her shoulder and only see darkness behind her. She bit her lips with anxious then turned her head back to the door. Her shoulders slumped, she really has no choice, so she reached the doorknob, touched it, and flinched. "Ow!" she jerked her hand away from the doorknob and stared at the tiny hold in her palm. "Did I get pricked by a needle or something?"

She furrowed her eyebrows at her small injury and doubletake at the door. Evie stared at it in dumbfounded when she watched the golden doorknob changed to black then spread behind the doorknob to change the shade to bright, crimson red as it poured over the white door.

Evie nearly stumbled back as the once white door transformed to pure red as blood door. "Wh-what?" she mouthed in voiceless shocked. She is too scared to get near the door as the white smokes dive inside through the door.

Then, suddenly, a door pushed inward itself that sends shivered Evie's spine down. She shifted her flashlight at the room, she couldn't see it except red curtain hanging in the middle of the room. Evie slowly dragged her feet inside the room while eyeing her surroundings.

Once she reached the curtain, her eyes spotted a golden tassel, and she reached to it and pulled it down. Evie watched the red curtain lifted upward to reveal a magic object. Evie gasped when she recognized the floating mirror with golden veins with thrones surrounding the glass. On top of the mirror, it has an onyx gemstone that shape of a crown.

This is was the mirror that her mother cursed herself with. Evie immediately knew that this was a terrible situation to be alone. She turned around to run but the door shut itself when she crashed against the door. Evie reached the doorknob, attempted to twist and turned but it won't budge.

Evie pounded the door with her fists. "Help! Anyone! Please! Help me! Carlos! Mal! Jay! Anyone! Carlos! Help me!" she continued pounding the door with panicked.

The white smokes released from the magic mirror as the red flames appeared around in mid-air that brighten up the room. Evie froze with fear, slowly as she turned around as her heartbeats fast. She shook her head frantically and turned back.

Evie attempted to smash the door with her body a few times and twisted and turned the doorknob. However, it was all futile.

_**"****Princess…" **_Evie whimpered when she saw white smokes gathered around her arms and legs then forced to drag her toward the magic mirror.

"No! No, no, no, no, no! Please! Let me go! Mal! Jay! Carlos!" she cried out in hyperventilate as it continued dragging her from behind. "CARLOS! MAL! JAY! CARLOS! HELP M–!" she was cut off as she was sucked into the mirror.

Silence dramatically appeared in the room.

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* * *

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**Heart Castle**

**First Floor**

Carlos jerked his head up and glanced around as he feels like something terrible just happened. He furrowed his eyebrows with confused, he doesn't know why but his heart just sank with distressed. The white-haired tech prodigy is wondering if something happened. Couldn't handle this uneasy feeling, he quickly jogged to the door and pushed it open.

Simultaneously, another side of the room where the door is opened as well and revealed Jay. Carlos and Jay blinked at each other.

"Why are you here?" they both unisons said.

"Me? What _about _you?" they answered at the same time.

Carlos sighed softly as Jay frowned and crossed his arms. "I thought you were upstairs with others?" the white-haired boy asked with confused.

"Well, I thought you guys left me alone and I went up to the third floor, but I ended up in the long gallery. Where did you come from?" Jay asked with curious.

"Got caught through the secret passageway and found myself in the throne room." Carlos answered as he pointed his thumb behind him. Then he shook his head as his uneasy feeling reminded him once again. "Doesn't matter, we need to head upstairs and meet Eve and Mal."

The former thief paused when he heard the old nickname. "Since when did you called her that? Thought it was all over two years ago." Jay asked with playful smirked.

Carlos glared at the son of Jafar. Before he could say anything, footsteps heard from the stairs to revealed Mal. The dragon girl scoffed when she saw her best friends. "There you two are! Where have you both been?" she snapped with frustrated yet relief behind the tone.

The white-haired boy ignored Mal's question when he noticed the missing blue-haired beauty. "Where's Evie?" he asked with worried.

The blonde-haired frowned at Carlos who dared to ignore her question but decided to let it go since she is worried about Evie as well. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Carlos blurted it out with concern as his eyes wide in surprise.

Jay walked closer with a concerned frowned. "Did something happen?"

Once Mal is at the end of the stairs. "I fou-" she was interrupted when a door opened where Jay came from, revealed Evie who stared at them with confused. "There you are!" Mal snapped at the blue-haired princess.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause anyone worried." Evie said with sheepishly smiles.

Jay shook his head with confusion. "Hold on, since when were you at the long gallery? I didn't see you there." He asked with lost.

Evie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I was at the library and before I knew, I was suddenly on the first floor." She answered calmly.

"Huh." The son of Jafar turned to Mal. "That actually happened to me. I did go up to the third floor, but all of a sudden, I was in the long gallery."

Carlos stared at the blue-haired princess, he was in relief to see her unharmed but why does his heart keep beating such uneasily?

Mal dropped her head back. "Of course. Heart Castle has ability to tricks our mind." She sighed heavily then pushed her head back. "Whatever, we're all back together." She turned to Evie. "I found the master bathroom, we should go up an-" she was interrupted by Evie which was kind of bold for her.

"Actually… I just saw another memory from my mother's life. Turned out the magic mirror that my mother sold her soul into, well, it's not here anymore." Evie explained softly with guilty.

The blonde-haired gritted her teeth as she closed her eyes to calm her short-temper while Jay sighed loudly, and Carlos frowned deeply. "So, we've been wasting our time to come here and search for nothing. _That's just great._" Jay sarcastically said.

"I'm so sorry." Evie apologized as she lowered her eyes down, sadly.

The white-haired boy shook his head as he walked to Evie and placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Eve. You didn't know. At least we get to see this castle." He attempted to cheer up the blue-haired princess.

Evie lifted her face with a thankful smile. Her brown eyes glanced over to Mal and Jay. "We should just leave now. We might make it to class before anyone noticed we're gone." She said.

"That's probably a good idea." Jay agreed, wanted to leave the abandoned castle and hope to be able to sleep before he heads to the first class.

Mal opened her eyes as it still has irritated, but her posture is slowly relaxed. "Let's just go." She snapped, stormed her way as her friends avoid her and watched her leave.

Evie bit her lip with worried. "I feel bad that I wasted Mal's time."

"Don't worry about it." Jay walked up to her and gave her a pat on her back. "She just needs space and some eye shut for a few hours. Then she'll forgive and forget." He smirked and left as well.

Carlos rolled his eyes when Jay used his lines out of jokes. "Come on, Evie." He bumped his shoulder against her gently and walk.

Evie watched three backs of ex-villains, glanced over her shoulders as her brown eyes gleamed in scarlet perfectly with ease with a wicked smirked on her face.

"Evie!"

The blue-haired beauty blinked as scarlet faded away to brown and turned her head forward with a professional smile on her face. "Coming!"

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**Heart Castle**

**Basement**

A floating, magic mirror with an onyx gemstone changed to red ruby beautifully in the crown-shaped. A white smoke dances around in the mirror until a hand touch the glass and other hand pounded against with a fist. A blue-haired princess cried out against the glass as her brown eyes widen in fear for her friends.

She choked when she saw white smokes swirled front of her and she back away. Evie watched herself, a clone, interacted her friends. _"Stop! Get away from my friends! Mal! Jay! Carlos!" _Evie shouted out, pleaded her friends to hear her but it was useless.

Evie watched in disgusted and horror that none of her best friends find is suspicious about the clone of her. And then, a clone turned her head as if she is staring right at Evie. Her eyes turned scarlet filled with triumphed and smirked of smug.

_"You bitch." _Evie spat with furious as she continued watched the clone turned away and pretend to be Evie Queen. _"…I can't believe this…" _Evie has been tricked by a magic mirror, all because she had to pay the price. And now, she is paying for it. Her heart sank. _"Please… Mal, Jay, Carlos… please realize that she is not me. She's a fake…" _she begged, all alone inside the mirror, as tears slipped from her eyes.


End file.
